Mumbai, Dec 24 (IANS): India Women were cruising towards a historic first Test victory against Australia Women as they reached 29/1 in 9 overs, chasing 75 in the fourth innings, at lunch on the fourth and final day of the one-off Test of the multi-format series at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
The hosts looked set for their maiden triumph over the Aussies in 11 Tests as they needed 46 more runs for victory and an early Christmas present to themselves and their ardent fans.
At lunch, India were 29/1 with Smriti Mandhana batting on 13 and Richa Ghosh, who struck a half-century on debut in the first innings, batting on 4.
After bowling out Australia for 261 in their second innings, claiming the last five wickets for just 28 runs in 15.4 overs with Sneh Rana and Rajeshwari Gayakwad bagged two wickets each on the final morning on a Wankhede pitch that is crumbling past and offering variable bounce and sharp turn on occasions. India had bundled out Australia for 219 on the first day and then posted 406 in their first innings thanks to half-centuries by Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma.
Needing 75 to win the match, India lost Shafali Verma in the first over after the aggressive batter had struck Kim Garth for a boundary a few balls earlier.
Richa Ghosh had her heart in her mouth when a delivery from Ashleigh Gardner turned sharply and shot off from the rough spot and sailed over the middle and leg and past the keeper for four byes.
A ball later, Richa had a life when Beth Mooney put down a sitter at first slip off a thick outside edge.
Smriti Mandhana, back-to-back fours off Kim Garth -- a fine cover drive across the turf for the first and a slap through the covers off a short and wide delivery for the second boundary. But Garth gets the next delivery to hold its line and Safali hangs her bat out, the thin edge is an easy catch for skipper Alyssa Healy to pouch it.
Richa Ghosh had her heart in her mouth when a delivery from Ashleigh Gardner turned sharply and shot off from the rough spot and sailed over the middle and leg and past the keeper for four byes.
A ball later, Richa had a life when Beth Mooney put down a sitter at first slip off a thick outside edge.
Smriti Mandhana struck back-to-back fours off Kim Garth -- a fine cover drive across the turf for the first and a slap through the covers off a short and wide delivery for the second boundary.
India were lucky to get a boundary when Tahlia McGrath misfielded off a Richa Ghosh drive races to the boundary in the seventh over as the Indians survived the testing period before lunch.
Brief scores (At lunch, Day 4): Australia 219 & 261 all out in 105.4 overs (Tahlia McGrath 73, Ellyse Perry 45, Alyssa Healy 32, Beth Mooney 33; Sneh Rana 4-63, Harmanpreet Kaur 2-23, Rajeshwari Gayakwad 2-42) lead India 406 & 29/1 in 9 overs (Smriti Mandhana batting 13, Richa Ghosh batting 4; Kim Garth 1-19) by 45 runs.