Australia beat India by eight wickets in first Women's ODI
Mullanpur (Punjab), Sep 14 (PTI): Opener Phoebe Litchfield and Beth Mooney struck excellent half-centuries in a dominant batting display as Australia beat India by eight wickets in the first Women's ODI of the three-match series here on Sunday.
Batting first, India posted a competitive 281 for seven but Australia rode on Litchfield's 80-ball 88 and Mooney's unbeaten 74-ball 77 to complete the task in 44.1 overs on a day when the Indians left a lot to be desired with their ground fielding and catching.
Annabel Sutherland chipped in with an unbeaten 54 in 51 balls.
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Earlier, India were well-served by half-centuries from Pratika Rawal (64 off 96 balls), Smriti Mandhana (58 off 63), and Harleen Deol (54 off 57) after skipper Harmanpreet Kaur opted to bat in her 150th match in this format.
India were off to a great start after the opening duo of Rawal and vice-captain Mandhana added 114 in just under 22 overs.
Effective cameos by the lower-order batters helped India go past 280.
Brief scores:
India Women's: 281/7 in 50 overs (Pratika Rawal 64, Smriti Mandhana 58, Harleen Deol 54; Megan Schutt 2/45).
Australia Women's: 282/2 in 44.1 overs (Phoebe Litchfield 88, Beth Mooney 77 not out, Annabel Sutherland 54 not out).
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Ready to face no-confidence motion, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Hassan (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the Congress government led by him was ready to face the no-confidence motion if moved by the opposition during the legislature session from December 8.
With Deputy CM D K Shivakumar by his side, he reiterated that they would both abide by the high command's decision on the leadership issue.
"Let them (opposition) bring in a no-confidence motion or adjournment motion or any other motion. We are ready to face it. Ours is an open book, transparent government. We are ready to face anything," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.
However, BJP state President B Y Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, clarified that the party, along with the JD(S) has not discussed or decided anything so far regarding moving a no-confidence motion against the government.
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The winter session of the Karnataka legislature will begin in Belagavi, bordering Maharashtra, on December 8 and will go on till 19th of this month.
Not wanting to react to a question on the leadership issue, the CM said the Congress high command is very strong.
"D K Shivakumar and I will be committed to whatever the high command decides," he said.
Earlier in the day in Bengaluru, Shivakumar accompanied AICC Mallikarjun Kharge till airport from Vidhana Soudha, after paying tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary, which had led to some speculation about possible discussion between the two on the leadership issue.
The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculation about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
However, both the CM and Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each others residences, on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session.
