2nd Women's ODI: Fielding, spin bowling in focus as India look to draw level against Australia

Mullanpur (Punjab), Sep 16 (PTI) India's big defeat against Australia in the opening women's ODI may have come as a dampener ahead of the World Cup, but the team would look to level the series against Alyssa Healy's side with a stronger bowling and fielding effort in the second match here on Wednesday.

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's wards did well with the bat by putting up a challenging total courtesy half-centuries from batting mainstays Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana and Hareen Deol.

But poor fielding came back to haunt them yet again in the opening game of the three-match series.

The four dropped catches let Australia, who would be India's toughest opponents apart from England in the women's World Cup scheduled later this month, off the hook and they managed to finish the task of chasing 281 runs in double-quick time.

On the eve of the second game, senior India all-rounder Deepti Sharma refused to read much into India's fielding errors.

"There was no problem as such. We have done well in past few series fielding-wise as a unit," Deepti told the media.

"There can be an off day for any team, any team can make mistakes but we will not focus much on that. We will focus on all that we did right and take it forward," she said.

Australia, on the other hand, seem to be pacing their preparations in a manner which could make them unstoppable in their quest for a record-extending eighth ODI World Cup title, something the Indian team management would be aware of.

The home conditions and pitches suit them, but the Indians still faltered and much of the blame lies with their fielding, middle and lower-order batting and the spinners, who are expected to spearhead India's search for the elusive trophy.

The four spinners India employed in the opening match lacked the penetration, with only stalwart Sneh Rana managing a wicket, while the other three -- Deepti Sharma, Shree Charani and Radha Yadav -- drew a blank.

Australia's familiarity to India conditions, given the time their cricketers now spend in the country playing the Women's Premier League and bilateral series, might also have helped them.

In fact, Australia vice-captain Tahlia McGrath was spot on when she said before the series that her players "have been quite lucky" to be travelling to India every now and then.

The loss should come as a wake-up call to India as any total in the vicinity of 300 can be easily chased by the Australians, who have in their ranks veterans of several T20 and ODI World Cup campaigns such as Healy, Beth Mooney, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland.

All of them scored heavily in the previous game, showing the team is ready for the World Cup, beginning in less than a fortnight. Perry, though, could be a doubtful starter on Wednesday after she retired hurt on 30 in the first match.

India's middle-order comprising Jemimah Rodrigues, wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma too would need to show the appetite to bat long and deep if India have to put up fighting totals consistently.

Despite scoring 281, with Rawal and Mandhana putting on 114 for the first wicket, India still fell short by 30-odd runs and Harmanpreet conceded that it was way below-par against a team like Australia.

In that context, India would be hoping for a much improved effort in all three departments on Wednesday.

Squads: India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Uma Chetry, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh (wk), Kranti Goud, Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Sneh Rana, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Sayali Satghare, Deepti Sharma, Shree Charani, Radha Yadav.

Australia: Alyssa Healy (c & wk), Tahlia McGrath, Darcie Brown, Nicole Faltum, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Charli Knott, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham.

Match starts: 1:30pm IST. PTI AM UNG DDV AH AH