Litchfield's 119 propels Australia to 338 in World Cup semifinal against sloppy India
Navi Mumbai (PTI): Phoebe Litchfield’s scintillating 119 and half-centuries from venerable Ellyse Perry (77) and Ashleigh Gardner (63) helped Australia set a 339-run target against a sloppy India in the second Women’s World Cup semifinal here on Thursday.
If not for a tidy third spell of 3-0-9-2 in which Shree Charani (2/49) dismissed Beth Mooney (24) and an in-form Annabel Sutherland (3), Australia might have finished with far more than they managed.
While the left-arm spinner displayed great control to help India pull things back in control, the other Indian bowlers struggled on a track which offered no assistance and several elementary errors in the fielding made matters worse for the hosts.
In fact, Charani’s spell came amid a slowdown for Australia, who had slipped from 220 for two to 265 for six at one stage but Gardner’s quickfire 63 off 45 balls, featuring four sixes and as many fours, powered them past 300.
Australia were bowled out for 338 with one ball left in their innings.
It all began with India captain Harmanpreet Kaur spilling a regulation catch in the third over to give Alyssa Healy a lifeline. But the Australian captain, coming back into the playing XI, fell cheaply in the sixth over.
Undeterred from an early blow, Litchfield’s third ODI ton which came off a mere 77 balls, set the platform for Australia to launch themselves to a huge total.
The 22-year-old came into this knockout game with only a fifty in her account so far in the competition, but batted as if she was always in a purple patch.
There wasn’t an area which Litchfield didn’t explore for runs and there was hardly a stroke she did not execute to perfection.
A fine exponent of the reverse-sweep, Litchfield thought she had played one straight to Amanjot Kaur off Charani on the final ball of the 16th over when she was on 62 and walked back, only to be recalled by the umpires for the ball had hit the turf before flying into the hands of the fielder at short third man.
Litchfield's high quality knock included 17 fours and three sixes. Her lofted hits over the infield in the cover region were as spectacular as the two sixes she hit down the ground, one of which was hit on the second ball of the 27th over off Deepti Sharma.
Litchfield put on 155 for the second wicket before missing a lap shot off Amanjot with Perry, who made a valuable 77 off 88 balls (6x4s, 2x6s).
India needed a tidy effort upfront in the field but they were simply shabby.
An early howler notwithstanding, Gaud removed Healy when the batter played one onto her middle stump in the sixth over right before a short rain intervention.
Despite Healy’s fall early on, India needed to be disciplined in the field as well as with the ball. But Gaud (158) was inconsistent with her lines, Renuka could not find the familiar in-swing while India’s highest wicket-taker Deepti (2/73) had to contend with two late wickets.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
