The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Rolton scripts Australia's win

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 14, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Rolton scripts Australia's win

Our Sports Reporter

MYSORE, DEC. 13. Karen Rolton's unbeaten 62 helped Australia score a three-wicket victory over the Indian eves in the second one-dayer of the seven-match series at the Infosys Ground here on Monday.

Australian innings got mired in run outs. They lost the wickets of captain Belinda Clark, Lisa Keightley and Lisa Sthalekar, thanks to some sharp fielding by India. However, Sthalekar's 30 topped with some effective slog-sweeps against spinners, Neetu David and Varsha Rafael, and her 61-run third-wicket partnership with southpaw Rolton did keep the Aussies on the path towards victory before Melanie Jones, Kate Blackwell and Catherine Fitzpatrick fell to spinners.

But woman of the match, Rolton, stood firm though her rush for singles did unnerve her partners. A few forceful shots past point and some delectable cuts helped Rolton score runs against the spinners. She survived a close call as another attempt for a hasty single left her stranded, but Anjum Chopra's throw eluded bowler Varsha Rafael and Mithali Raj, who backed up, was also left fuming as her throw too went abegging. Rolton, then on 47, never looked back and soon ensured that the Aussies left Mysore with two victories. Australia scored 172 for seven in 49.2 overs.

Earlier, India posted 171 for seven in 50 overs as Anju Jain (51) and Anjum Chopra (43) chipped in a 101-run second-wicket partnership that helped tide over the shock of losing in-form opener Jaya Sharma in the second over.

Anju and Anjum revelled with their drives but the Indian team failed to build on their partnership.

The scores: India: Anju Jain c K. Blackwell b Lisa Sthalekar 51, Jaya Sharma c Elanie Jones b Clea Smith 0, Anjum Chopra c Rolton b Nitschke 43, Mithali Raj c Blackwell b Sthalekar 22, H. Kala (run out) 7, Mamtha Maben (run out) 18, Varsha Raphael b Cathryn Fitzpatrick 5, D. Marathe (not out) 3, N. Al-Khader (not out) 2. Extras (b-7, lb-7, w-6) 20. Total (for seven in 50 overs) 171.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-101, 3-127, 4-138, 5-143, 6-158, 7-168.

Australia bowling: Cathryn Fitzpatrick 10-5-20-1, Clea Smith 7-2-21-1, Julie Hayes 10-1-30-0, Lisa Sthalekar 10-1-36-2, K. Rolton 9-0-26-0, S. Nitschke 4-0-24-1.

Australia: Belinda Clark (run out) 31, Lisa Keightley (run out) 10, K. Rolton (not out) 62, Lisa Sthalekar (run out) 30, M. Jones c Maben b D. Marathe 6, K. Blackwell c Mithali Raj b Neetu David 0, C. Fitzpatrick c Maben b N. David 11, Julie Hayes b Jhulan Goswami 12, S. Nitschke (not out) 1. Extras (lb-4, w-5) 9. Total (for seven in 49.2 overs) 172.

Fall of wickets: 1-42, 2-47, 3-108, 4-124, 5-129, 6-147, 7-170.

India bowling: J. Goswami 5-1-18-1, M. Maben 4.2-0-15-0, D. Marathe 10-0-27-1, N. Al-Khader 10-1-22-0, Neetu David 10-1-39-2, V. Rafael 10-0-47-0.

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