Perth: Annabel Sutherland backed up her four-wicket haul with a century on the second day to further strengthen Australia’s command in the one-off Test against India at the Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) Stadium on Saturday.
At the end of play on the second day, the tourists were 105/6 in the second innings and trailing by 20 runs, with top-order batsmen Pratika Rawal and Cine Rana at the crease.
Day two of the one-off Test got off to a flying start as the home side resumed their first innings from 96/3 in reply to 198 all out.
Australia’s overnight pair of Ellyse Perry and Sutherland extended their fourth-wicket partnership to 130 after Deepti Sharma broke it late in the first session.
Berry scored 76 off 116 balls with the help of 10 fours and a six.
Sutherland, on the other hand, had a brief partnership with Ben Mooney (19) and Tahlia McGrath (13) before eventually succumbing to Sharma in the second session.
The all-rounder top-scored for the home team with 129 off 171 balls with 17 fours.
Following her departure, lower-order batsmen Alanna King (21) and Lucy Hamilton (23) added valuable runs as Australia were all out for 323 in 90.4 overs.
Debutant Sayali Sadkare took 4 wickets for 50 runs in 18.4 overs, Kranti Gaut and Sharma took 2 wickets each and Sne Rana and Shabali Verma took 1 wicket each.
Trailing by 125 runs, India’s batting unit struggled against a ruthless Australian bowling attack in the second innings, but top-order batsman Rawal’s grit kept the visitors in the hunt.
Rawal was the tour’s top scorer with an unbeaten 43 off 84 balls, and bowling all-rounder Rana, who was 14 not out off 17 balls, will resume India’s second innings on the final day.
Hamilton led Australia’s bowling charge in the second innings, taking 3 for 32 from his eight overs, followed by Sutherland with 2 and Darcy Brown picking up a wicket.