Australia\u2019s women cricketers have slipped to a 17-run loss to India in their series-deciding Twenty20 fixture.<\/p>\n
India claimed a 2-1 series triumph after posting 5-176 on Saturday night at Adelaide Oval \u2014 the highest women\u2019s T20 international score at the venue.<\/p>\n
Australia mustered 9-159 in reply, losing traction after their initial three wickets, including Ellyse Perry in her 350th international match, fell in a 13-ball span.<\/p>\n
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt was a bit of a bugger we couldn\u2019t get the result for her tonight,\u201d Australia captain Sophie Molineux said of Perry.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s a special person, a special cricketer, she has done so much for the game and continues to.\u201d<\/p>\n Australian openers Georgia Voll and Beth Mooney cracked 18 runs from the first over, delivered by Renuka Singh Thakur.<\/p>\n But Voll (10) and Mooney (six) were dismissed in a space of six balls.<\/p>\n Australian great Perry scored only one \u2014 she advanced to spinner Shreyanka Patil and attempted a big drive but missed and was bowled.<\/p>\n Perry\u2019s dismissal left the hosts reeling at 3-32 in the fourth over and Phoebe Litchfield and Ash Gardner steadied with a 31-run stand.<\/p>\n But Litchfield (26 from 17 balls) was caught in the deep from consecutive switch-hits \u2014 she smacked a four from the first one \u2014 to leave the hosts 4-63 in the ninth over.<\/p>\n The Australians were 4-78 at the midpoint and Gardner gave her side a sniff, making 57 from 45 balls before she too was caught in the deep.<\/p>\n Gardner\u2019s departure started another Australian slump of 4-15.<\/p>\n \u201cWe actually thought we kept them to a good score, it was a pretty good wicket,\u201d Molineux said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just lost some pretty important wickets at the wrong point in time.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier, Indian opener Smriti Mandhana top-scored with a superb 82 from 55 balls and featured in a 120-run partnership with No.3 Jemimah Rodrigues (59 from 46).<\/p>\n Australia struck early when quick Kim Garth (1-25) dismissed Shafali Verma (seven) in the third over.<\/p>\n Mandhana and Rodrigues then produced their fine stand, powering the tourists to 1-86 at the midpoint of their innings.<\/p>\n The 29-year-old Mandhana registered her half-century from only 38 balls by smacking Darcie Brown over the midwicket fence for six.<\/p>\n The partnership was finally broken in the 17th over when Mandhana lofted Annabel Sutherland (2-34) into the legside only for Gardner to make swift ground from deep midwicket and take a catch on the run.<\/p>\n The nations meet again on Tuesday in Brisbane for the first of three 50-over fixtures, ahead of a Test match starting March 6 at the WACA Ground in Perth.<\/p>\n Those matches will be the last for ex-Australian skipper Alyssa Healy before she retires.<\/p>\n \u201c(She) is going to bring an injection of some real excitement,\u201d Molineux said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be her last four games for Australia and we\u2019re going to do everything possible to send her off on the right note.<\/p>\n The trophy at the end of the multi-format series is decided on a points system, with two points for a T20 and 50-over victory and four points on offer for a Test triumph.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Matildas cop \u2018absolutely cruel\u2019 blow ahead of Asian Cup<\/p>\n 1 min read<\/p>\n