Twitter Reactions: Smriti Mandhana's maiden Test ton highlights another rain interrupted day
Mandhana resumed her innings on 80 and with some spirited show at the display, she scored her maiden Test century.
Rain forced the early stumps on day two of the ongoing women’s pink-ball Test between Australia and India. Smriti Mandhana’s belligerent century, Punam Raut walking off the field, even after the umpire had given not out and an impressive spell from Ellyse Perry were the highlights of the eventful day two of the historic Test match.
India’s star batter Mandhana resumed her innings on 80 and with some spirited show at the display, she scored her maiden Test century. She headed towards her 90s with a splendid straight drive off Sutherland and in the next 11 balls she reached the triple-figure. The 25-year-old became the first Indian Woman to hit a century in day-night Tests and also the first from the country to get the ton in the longest format on Australian soil.
Punam Raut’s sportsmanship act
She then walked back to the hut with a magnificent 127 which included as many as 22 fours and a six. This marked the end of the second-wicket partnership of 102 runs which she stitched alongside Raut. An outside off-stump delivery from Sophie Molineux meant that Raut too had to walk away. She looked to play a defensive stroke but the ball probably caught an edge and went to the keeper.
The umpire though gave her not out, the batter decided to leave the pitch. Ellyse Perry then finally got her first wicket of the multi-format series as Yastika Bhatia was caught by Beth Mooney at gully.
India’s skipper Mithali Raj was the next to depart as she fell a few inches short of the crease. Ashleigh Gardner was clinical with the ball for Australia. She bowled with immense control and her impressive spell provided the team with the prized wicket of Mandhana. She bowled an outside off-stump delivery and the batter hit straight in the air and Tahlia McGrath at short mid-off made no mistake to complete the catch.
India was reduced to 276-5 when rain halted the proceedings in the second session. Deepti Sharma was batting at 12 and keeper-batter Taniya Bhatiya was yet to get off the mark. Australia had got quite some momentum by their side but the rain interruption paused the action.
Post Smriti Mandhana’s splendid century, Twitter was full of praises for her. Here is how people reacted to her innings:
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