Team announced to face India...(6/2)
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News - Southern Stars v India Tour 2006

Australia v India
3 match ODI series @ St Peter's College (Sat/Sun), Woodville (Tues)

Match reports from www.cricket.com.au

Match Three, Tuesday 28 February

1 March, 2006 - Southern Stars sweep series

Australian skipper Karen Rolton led the home side to a convincing nice-wicket win over India in the third and final women's one-day international at Woodville Oval in Adelaide on Tuesday to claim a clean sweep of the series.

Chasing 129 for victory, Australia easily reached its target in the 35th over for the loss of just one wicket.

Opener Alex Blackwell top-scored for the home team with an unbeaten 63, a well-compiled knock that included six fours while skipper and player-of-the-match Karen Rolton finished on 56 not out.

Wicket-keeper Jodie Purves was promoted in the order but was trapped lbw by Jhulan Goswami for three runs.

Earlier, Australia had restricted India to 7-128 from its 50 overs. Quite a few players made starts for the tourists, but none could go on with it.

Opener Jaya Sharma showed some form, scoring 23 from 43 deliveries before being caught behind by Purves off the bowling of Kirsten Pike.

Anjum Chopra, who had put together a near match-winning 66 in the second game, looked to be on her way to another decent total but was removed by a good ball from Rolton in a turning point in the match.

At the time, the right hander had taken the India score to 3-71 and her wicket triggered a collapse as Sunetra Paranjape fell to the very next ball from Rolton, leg before, for a golden duck.

Rolton then took a catch in the next over from Lisa Sthalekar to remove Rumeli Dhar (14) with no addition to the score and the tourists were struggling at 6-71 from 30 overs.

N. Malthora (27 not out) and Jhulan Goswami (17) put together a concentrated partnership to help take the score 7-128.

But it was never going to be enough, and the Australians cruised to victory.

The clean sweep of the one-day series caps the one-off Test win over the Indians earlier in the month.

Australia v India
3 match ODI series @ St Peter's College (Sat/Sun), Woodville (Tues)

Match reports from www.cricket.com.au

Match One, Saturday 25 February

Australia has cruised to a six-wicket win in the opening match of the one-day international series against India in Adelaide.

After dismissing the tourists for 89, Australia wrapped up the win in the 31st over, thanks to 47 from skipper Karen Rolton and 22 from Lisa Sthalekar.

Cathryn Fitzpatrick's fourth five-wicket ODI haul set the Australian batters a relatively easy task at St Peter's College Oval as the tourists collapsed.

India was 4-19 at one stage after Fitzpatrick had dismissed three of the top four. She removed Jaya Sharma off the final ball of the third over before Clea Smith (1-9) had Karu Jain caught behind. In the next over Sanetra Paranjpe fell to Fitzpatrick for two and then Mithali Raj was bowled by the speedster in the seventh over.

Anjum Chopra and Rumeli Dhar made slow progress, putting on 20 in 12 overs before Chopra gave Alex Blackwell her third catch off Karen Rolton's bowling. (1-4) Naik made just five when she was removed by Sthalekar (2-21), who also dismissed Dhar (15).

Amita Sharma (24) offered some resistance but Fitzpatrick removed her and Nooshin Al Khader (1) to wrap up the innings. Neetu David was six not out. Fitzpatrick finished with 5-29 from her eight overs.

Australia's chase began slowly and the hosts were 2-16 in the ninth over after Alex Blackwell (1) and Melissa Bulow (12) were both dismissed by the dangerous Jhulan Goswami (3-6).

But Rolton and Sthalekar then put on 67 for the third wicket to steer the Southern Stars to the brink of victory. The skipper and Kate Blackwell (0) both fell in quick succession but Sthalekar and Michelle Goszko (2) got them over the line off the final ball of the 31st over.

Match Two, Sunday 26 February

The Australian Women's Cricket Team beat India by 12 runs in the second one-day international at St Peters College, Adelaide to take an unbeatable 2-nil lead in series.

The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars were bowled out for 173 in 49 overs with Michelle Goszko leading the way with the bat, compiling a well-made 47 that included five fours.

In reply, the visitors were bowled out for 161, after being 6-144 with six overs to play. Captain Karen Rolton (4-29) and Sarah Andrews (3-21) destroying Indian hopes of a victory.

Earlier, Australia got off to a steady start in its innings, but lost the wickets of openers Alex Blackwell and Melissa Bulow with the score on 22.

Rolton fell to a good caught and bowled for 19 and Lisa Sthalekar was run out for nine and Shelley Nitschke was bowled for six, to leave the home-team in a bit of trouble at 5-80 off 25 overs.

But Goszko and wicket-keeper Jodie Purves put together a good 46-run partnership to rescue the Southern Stars.

Purves eventually fell for 19, clean bowled by Neetu David.

Goszko was out just three shy of her half century with the score at 147, but a quick-fire 22 from all-rounder Cathryn Fitzpatrick helped the home-team to a competitive total of 173.

Nooshin Al Khader showed the best figures for the tourists with 4-41 from her 10 overs.

India looked good in its run-chase with both openers getting starts and taking the score along to 36 without loss before Rolton changed the complexion of the game with two wickets in two balls.

The skipper picked up her third wicket in her next over to put the Indians on the back foot at 3-39.

The visitor's hopes were revived when Anjum Chopra and skipper Mithali Raj put together a settling partnership, but when Andrews claimed Raj for 11 the Australians took back the momentum.

Chopra took it upon her shoulders to win the game and very nearly did, compiling an impressive 66 runs with seven fours and with the score at 6-144 and needing 30 runs from six overs it seemed she would lead the visitors to victory.

But two wickets to Fitzpatrick and a run out saw the Indian run-chase stall at 9-157.

Chopra knew it was all up to her and she had to go for boundaries.

With the score on 161, she attempted to hit Rolton out of the park, but only succeeded in getting a thick edge and Purves took the catch to give the Southern Stars victory, and an unbeatable 2-nil lead in the best-of-three series.

Australia v India
3 match ODI series @ St Peter's College (Sat/Sun), Woodville (Tues)

Australia have played 182 ODIs for 145 wins, 1 tie, 4 no results and 32 losses.
India have played 124 ODIs for 69 wins, 1 tie, 2 no results and 52 losses.

Head to head these two teams have played 22 matches with Australia winning 18 and India 4.

The last time these two met was in South Africa in the World Cup Final in April 2005 when Australia won by 98 runs. Prior to that they had played a 7 match series in India in December 2004 where Australia won 4-3.

Leading current players:

Batting:
3624 Karen Rolton (3rd highest world; 2nd highest Australia)
2075 Mithali Raj (8th world; 1st India)
1958 Anjum Chopra (9th world; 2nd India)

Bowling:
160 Cathryn Fitzpatrick (1st world/Australia)
122 Neetu David (2nd world; 1st India)
77 Karen Rolton (7th world; 3rd Australia) 70 Nooshin Al Khader (=10th world/2nd India)

DAY THREE - 20 February, 2006 - Stars rout Indians

A five-wicket haul by Lisa Sthalekar has helped Australia to a comprehensive thrashing of India inside three days in the Test match at the Adelaide Oval.

The Indians lost their final five wickets for just 25 runs, with Sthalekar grabbing three of those scalps for impressive figures of 5-30, to be dismissed for 153 and plunge to defeat by an innings and four runs.

India showed a lot of resilience in both innings, batting for nearly 62 overs as they were routed for 93 in the first before holding the Southern Stars at bay for close to 108 overs in the second dig.

Rumeli Dhar top-scored for India with 38 off 143 deliveries and was well supported by Sunetra Paranjape, who made 30, as the pair put on 51 for the sixth wicket, and opener Monica Sumra, who batted for more than three-and-a-half hours for her 29.

Asked to follow on after being dismissed for just 93 in pursuit of Australia's 250, India resumed on day three at 3-51 but was again bogged down by some accurate bowling from the Australian attack, especially during the first session when they blocked out 21 maidens.

The Southern Stars broke through in the sixth over of the day when Divikar Palshikar's 42-ball innings was ended on one, caught by Jodie Purves off the bowling of Cathryn Fitzpatrick.

Monica Sumra's stoic resistance ended on 29 when she was trapped in front by Karen Rolton as India slumped to 5-77, still requiring a further 81 runs to make the Southern Stars bat again.

But Dhar and Paranjape steered the Indians to lunch at 5-92 before Dhar's dismissal signalled the beginning of the end.

Sthalekar grabbed the next two wickets to fall, getting rid of Paranjape and Jhulan Goswami, before Purves snared her third dismissal of the innings, combining with Shelley Nitschke to send Amita Sharma back to the pavilion.

The only interest left in the game then was whether the Indians would make Australia bat again, but Sthalekar's fifth wicket ensured the visitors plunged to an innings defeat.

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MILESTONES:

Lisa Sthalekar - PB 5/30 (previous best 3/44 v England 1st Test 2005)

Debutants' perfromances:
Sarah Andrews - 3; 26-15-2-48 (9-2-2-29 & 17-13-0-19);
2 catches
Melissa Bulow - 20; 1 catch Jodie Purves - 43*; 5 catches

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DAY TWO - Stars well on top

Australia is firmly in control in the Test against India at the Adelaide Oval, with the tourists, who were sent back in, still trailing the hosts' first-innings score by 106 after the second day.

After being dismissed for 250 earlier in the day, Australia bowled itself into an almighty position, as the tourists collapsed from 1-41 to be 6-51 at lunch. The tourists' middle order and tail-end offered some stubborn resistance in the second session, surviving 38 overs and adding 42 runs before they were all out in the 62nd over, some 157 runs behind.

A slow start to the second innings by India frustrated the Aussies late in the day but two wickets from Lisa Sthalekar after Karen Rolton had dismissed Karu Jain for 16 reduced India to 3-51 at the close of play.

Sthalekar removed Mithali Raj for six and Anjum Chopra for two after India had moved to 1-34 off 24 overs. Monica Sumra is 22 (off 113 balls), while Divika Palshikar is one.

In the first innings, Sumra was the first to fall, caught by Rolton off debutante Sarah Andrews for four. Jain and Raj moved the score onto 41 before Andrews trapped the former for 21.

That triggered a collapse with Cathryn Fitzpatrick (3-24), who bowled ten overs straight from the start of the innings, removing Raj for 16 and then bowling Rumeli Dhar for four.

Rolton and Julie Hayes (2-8) were brought on to relieve the openers and also made an impact, with the skipper trapping Sunetra Paranjpe for one and Hayes having Chopra caught for five.

Shelley Nitchske (2-9) stepped in to remove Palshikar for six and Amita Sharma for four. Jhulan Goswami's 90-ball knock of 12 was ended by Fitzpatrick and Hayes then bowled Nooshin Al Khader for 16 to wrap up the innings.

Australia resumed at 8-230 and added 20 runs for the loss of Hayes for six and Andrews for three while Jodie Purves finished 43 no. Goswami finished as the best of the bowlers with 4-43 off 24 overs while Dhar took 2-26 and Neetu David 2-46.

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MILESTONES:

Sarah Andrews & Jodie Purves became the 175th & 176th players respectively to represent Australia. Melissa Bulow had previously represented at ODI level.

Andrews, Bulow & Purves are the 148th, 149th & 150th players respectively to represent Australia at test level.

Karen Rolton (933) has become Australia's leading scorer in test cricket, passing Belinda Clark (919).

Cathryn Fitzpatrick (58) has moved to second on Australia's leading wicket-takers list, passing Raelee Thompson (57). Betty Wilson remains Australia's leading wicket-taker with 68.

93 is India's second lowest score against Australia - they were dismissed for 91 in the 3rd Test in Melbourne in 1990/1.

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DAY ONE: - Australia battles back at home

New skipper Karen Rolton and vice-captain Lisa Sthalekar have both made half-centuries as the honours were shared on the opening day of the women's Test between Australia and India at Adelaide Oval.

In the first Test clash between the nations since they last met in Melbourne 15 years ago, the Southern Stars battled to 5-130 at one point after Rolton and Sthalekar had shared a third-wicket partnership of 56, but finished the day strongly to be 8-230 at the close.

Debutant wicketkeeper Jodie Purves is unbeaten on 32, having added 44 for the eighth wicket with Sthalekar - who top-scored with 72 - while Julie Hayes is three not out and will be looking to continue to show solid support to Purves on Sunday.

Rolton had earlier in the day made 63, but Indian bowler Jhulan Goswami ensured the hosts did not impose themselves by claiming 3-13 from her first 13 overs on the way to figures of 3-39 from 23 overs, including nine maidens.

Goswami was well backed up by Rumeli Dhar and Neetu David, Dhar grabbing 2-26 from 18 overs and David 2-46 from 15, while Sharma (1-32 from 11) was the other successful bowler.

Alex Blackwell was the first to go for a duck when caught off the bowling of Goswami, but Rolton and first-gamer Melissa Bulow steadied with a solid partnership before Bulow's dismissal to David for 21 brought the Southern Stars' on-field leaders together.

They prospered for some time before Goswami struck twice more, sending Rolton on her way LBW and soon after dismissing Blackwell's twin Kate without scoring.

Michelle Goszko fell to David for nine but Shelley Nitschke dominated a 29-run stand with Sthalekar with 18 before she was bowled by Dhar, with the score becoming 7-169 when Cathryn Fitzpatrick (three) became Dhar's second victim.

As well as Queensland Fire skipper Bulow and her state teammate Purves, New South Wales Breakers medium-pacer Sarah Andrews is also playing her first Test for Australia.

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Test Preview - Australia v India, Adelaide Oval, 18-21 February 2006

Australia and India have met 8 times in test matches with Australia winning 3 and drawing 5. Their last encounter was in Melbourne in February 1991 when Australia won by 9 wickets - this was the final test in a three test series which Australia won 2-0.

Australia last played a test in August last year, losing by 6 wickets to lose the two test Ashes series to England 1-0.

India last played a test in November last year, a one off match also against England which was drawn.

Australia's record in test cricket stands at 65 matches: 17 wins, 8 losses, 40 draws.

India's record stands at 30 matches: 2 wins, 4 losses, 24 draws.

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Australia v India, women's Test, Adelaide Blackwell twins set to make history Cricinfo staff February 15, 2006

Kate and Alex Blackwell are set to make cricket history when they become the first identical twins to play Test cricket for Australia on home soil when their women's side takes on India in a one-off Test starting this Saturday at Adelaide. Although Steve and Mark Waugh, who are also twins, played for Australia, they are not identical. The Blackwells played two Tests together in England last year

Alex, the older twin by 10 minutes, told the Adelaide Advertiser she was looking forward to the match. "We can't wait. We don't get to play in Test matches very often, so any time we do it is a huge thrill and the Indians will be a tough team," she said. "We are very proud that we are the first identical twins to play cricket for Australia, but hopefully we can really perform well at this level and become great players of the game as well, not just twins."

Asked about the inevitable comparisons to the Waughs, she said: "We have looked up to them, they represented the country for a long time and are both awesome players."

Australia go into the Test under the leadership of Karen Rolton for the first time following the retirement of Belinda Clark, and include two uncapped players - New South Wales fast bowler Sarah Andrews and Queensland wicketkeeper Jodie Purves.

Australia play one Test and three limited-overs internationals against India at Adelaide, with the one-day games billed as a rematch of the 2005 World Cup final.

Australia: Karen Rolton (capt), Sarah Andrews, Alex Blackwell, Kate Blackwell, Melissa Bulow, Cathryn Fitzpatrick, Michelle Goszko, Julie Hayes, Lisa Sthalekar, Shelley Nitschke, Kirsten Pike, Jodie Purves, Clea Smith.

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