Key events
6th over: Australia 36-0 (Litchfield 12, Voll 19) Titas Sadhu comes into the attack with India searching for an early breakthrough after this pair put on 48 and 130-run stands in the first two ODIs and look like they could get off the leash again. Litchfield leaves one that swings in late and bounces narrowly over off-stump then takes length out of the next delivery as she dances down the pitch to caress the ball over extra cover.
5th over: Australia 30-0 (Litchfield 8, Voll 18) Litchfield reaches at a delivery drifting away and takes a thick edge but the intent in the shot sends the ball over the two slips to the boundary. An early escape for the left-hander amid a solid couple of over from Singh.
4th over: Australia 26-0 (Litchfield 4, Voll 18) Shot of the day so far as Georgia Voll strides forward and drives exquisitely through extra cover. The third-gamer works the crease for a couple more past square leg, as Thakor loses her line and gives away a wide down leg then another three wides on the same side.
3rd over: Australia 12-0 (Litchfield 1, Voll 11) Singh bounces back after a loose opening over as the right-armer gets the ball moving into right-hander Voll and away from left-hander Litchfield. Singh then surprised with one that jags back into Litchfield but somehow misses the inside edge. Just a single to Voll through cover in a tidy over.
2nd over: Australia 11-0 (Litchfield 1, Voll 10) Saima Thakor opens the bowling from the other end with one slip. A much tighter line and length ties Voll down to a single through cover of the last ball of the over. Voll looks entirely comfortably with a feast or famine depending on what the bowler dishes open.
1st over: Australia 10-0 (Litchfield 1, Voll 9) India start with two slips as Singh finds some early swing. Litchfield chips away for an easy single, but Singh gives Voll far too much room outside the off-stump and is punished with back-to-back boundaries through point. The first is momentarily in the air while never quite putting Voll at risk, the next delivery is a little shorter and is cut straight into the turf on its way to the rope.
Phoebe Litchfield takes two centres and will face the first ball from Renuka Singh who is at the top of her mark. Let’s play cricket …
Phoebe Litchfield is suddenly the elder stateswoman of the Australian opening pair with Georgia Voll to again take on the new ball alongside her at the Waca.
The 21-year-olds have playing together since they were in their teens.
India XI
India: Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Minnu Mani, Saima Thakor, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Titas Sadhu.
Arundhati Reddy and Titas Sadhu come into the side with Priya Punia out with a knee injury and young leg-spinner Priya Mishra also making way.
Australia XI
Australia: Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Voll, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney (wk), Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath (c), Sophie Molineux, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt.
Tahlia McGrath reveals that the hosts are unchanged from the second ODI on Sunday. Australia to carry their enviable mix of pace and spin onto the Waca.
Tahlia McGrath is happy for Australia to bat first, says she would have elected to do so if the toss went her way.
It is a really nice place to bat. A really good challenge for our bowling attack, getting our length right because when you do get that there is a lot on offer, change of venue, slight change of tactics. Really crucial to finish well. We are looking to be ruthless and finish off the series.
India win the toss and elect to bowl
Harmanpreet Kaur calls “heads” correctly and the tourists want to make first use of the famous bounce of the Waca wicket.
We are going to bowl first because of the conditions. I think the pitch will definitely suit us.
Completing – or avoiding – a series sweep is not the only lure for Australia and India in this third ODI with the match part of the ongoing ICC Women’s Championship.
Australia lead the current multi-year tournament with 32 points from 20 matches ahead of England, but could still be chased down by third-placed India who are seven points behind with seven games remaining. Two points are awarded for a win.
Two-time defending champions Australia have four games in hand: this clash with India and the three to come in New Zealand.
Young opener Georgia Voll will be given another opportunity to impress in her third ODI against India after an unbeaten half-century on debut was followed by a maiden international ton. The 21-year-old has since been added to the Australia squad to tour New Zealand for three more ODIs with the first to be played next Thursday.
Experienced batter Beth Mooney, who will take the gloves again today against India, has liked what she has seen from Voll since the youngster joined the Australia set up.
She’s taken to it like a duck to water. She’s certainly done everything she can to make sure she keeps her name up in lights with the Australian selectors. She knows her game pretty well after playing a few years in domestic cricket so I think that’s really helped her come into international cricket.
Preamble
Martin Pegan
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the third women’s one-day international between Australia and India. The hosts are chasing a clean sweep in the series after making a statement with five-wicket and 122-run victories in the first two matches played in Brisbane.
Australia have backed emerging talents Phoebe Litchfield and Georgia Voll to open the innings with great success, while Ellyse Perry added a century in the second match against India as the hosts piled on 371 runs. Megan Schutt set up the win in the first ODI with five for 19, as Annabel Sutherland took four for 39 in the next game if only to demonstrate Australia’s range of options and versatility with the ball.
India crashed to their lowest ODI score in 12 years when bowled out for 100 in the opening match but bounced back to find some form in their next outing. Richa Ghosh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Minnu Mani and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur all made strong contributions with the bat even while chasing Australia’s third-highest women’s ODI total. The 20-year-old leg-spinner Priya Mishra has been a joy to watch and hopefully is included in the India XI again today, after taking six scalps across her first four ODIs but bearing the brunt of an Australian onslaught in the second clash. But either way, India will want to show that they can match it with the best ahead of a home Women’s ODI World Cup next year.
It’s a typically hot one in Perth today with the temperature already above 35 degrees and expected to hit a high of 39 before a chance of thunderstorms in the late afternoon and evening.
First ball at the Waca will be at 12.20pm local time or 3.20pm AEDT. I’ll guide us through the first innings, and let James Wallace take the reins for the second dig.
Team and toss news will be coming shortly. In the meantime, get in touch with any comments, questions, thoughts and predictions – shoot me an email or find me @martinpegan on Bluesky or X. Let’s get into it!
