‘We were able to set the tone early’ – Meg Lanning

Yet another dominant all-round performance helped Australia Women post a 60-run victory over India Women in the second ICC Women’s Championship one-day international in Vadodara on Thursday.

Nicole Bolton's excellent 88-ball 84, along with Ellyse Perry's unbeaten run-a-ball 70 and Beth Mooney's quick 56 took Australia to 287/3 in their 50 overs. Then the bowlers, led by Jess Jonassen's 3/51, ensured Australia bowled India out for 227 in 49.2 overs and sealed the three-match series 2-0 with a game to go.

Chasing that big a total should have been tough for India, but Smriti Mandhana gave them the perfect start with a 53-ball 67 to raise hopes. However, once she got out. none of the other batters were able to build on her good work.

Mithali Raj, who had to sit out of the first ODI because of an illness, admitted that India gave away too many runs up front. “I believe that there was a bit of movement early on. It’s just that the bowlers did not bowl on a line that they should have,” she said.

“There were also a few missed opportunities. Had we taken them probably the scenario would be different. We play international cricket, we are there to give our best, we should keep striving to excel no matter what situation.”

Raj was effusive in her praise of Mandhana and Pooja Vastrakar, who scored 30 in 33 deliveries from No.9. In the first game, she became the first to score a half-century in women’s ODIs from the spot when she made 51 in 56 balls.

“Smriti has been among the runs,” pointed out Raj, who scored 15 in 14 balls. “We needed more contribution from the top order to get close to the total. We have always wanted the lower middle-order to score runs and Pooja has been doing that from the first game.

“When you are chasing a big total, it is important that you are in a positive mode and try to keep a healthy strike rate. It is imperative that we get a good start which we did, it is just that in the middle-order there was none to take it forward.”

Meg Lanning, the Australia captain, was thrilled with her team's all-round show. Not only were the batters in full flow, each one of the six bowlers that were used managed to pick up at least a wicket.

“We were able to set the tone early and I think that was a very good total that we put up,” she said. “Nicole Bolton looked very easy at the top today and I thought Beth Mooney’s innings was very important. India were on top at that stage, just got a couple of wickets, and I thought that changed the momentum of the game.”

Lanning was also happy with the performance of Jonassen, the experienced left-arm spinner who has seven wickets in the two ODIs, and Megan Schutt, the medium pacer who returned 1/24 from her 10 overs.

“She (Jonassen) has been going on pretty well,” said Lanning. “I thought Megan Schutt was outstanding. She started off pretty well, and even though India got a good start she was holding one end down. I think overall we have played well today and it is nice to go 2-0 up.

The third and final ODI will be staged at the same venue on Sunday.