Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland have both broken records to steer Australia into a commanding position in their day-night Test against India at the WACA Ground.
Early on the second day, Perry surpassed the great Karen Rolton as the country’s most prolific batter at the level, smashing a boundary down the ground to take her red-ball career aggregate past the South Australian legend’s 1002 runs.
Not to be outdone after the veteran was dismissed shortly after for 76, Sutherland carried on to become the first Australian batter to compile four women’s Test hundreds, with her 129 also doubling as both a third consecutive century in whites and across formats at the WACA.
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The pair’s classy 128-run fourth-wicket stand took their side to within touching distance of the lead, with India wilting as the mercury got above 40C looked a distinct possibility.
The tourists stuck at their task sufficiently to induce an Australian collapse of 4-37 in the middle session, but were frustrated by an unbroken 33-run partnership between tail-enders Alana King (21 not out) and Lucy Hamilton (12 not out) before the dinner break.
Resuming after getting through a tricky night session on the opening day of the contest, Perry and Sutherland looked in total control in the early exchanges, with India captain Harmanpreet Kaur pulling six bowling changes inside the first hour in a desperate search for a successful combination.
Perry broke the all-time runs record with a boundary off the bowling of Deepti Sharma but the off-spinning all-rounder quickly had her revenge, firing a flatter delivery into the pads and convincing her captain to take a review which showed the ball hitting leg stump.
Sutherland brought up three figures early in the second session with a top-edged pull shot, which was one of few strokes she was not in total control of throughout her brilliant knock.
Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland shared a 128-run fourth-wicket stand. Credit: Stefan Gosatti/Getty Images
India’s only hopes of ending her time at the crease appeared to be through her making an error, which she eventually did with an attempt to loft Sharma into the crowd finding Harmanpreet at long-on.
Australia’s middle order was not able to capitalise on the good work of their teammates further up the order, with Beth Mooney (19), Ash Gardner (one) and Tahlia McGrath (13) all scratchy in their time at the crease.
Mooney was dropped by Sneh Rana at slip off the bowling of Sharma before getting off the mark and lacked any fluency throughout her innings, which ended courtesy of a brilliant Jemimah Rodrigues catch at short cover.
Kranti Gaud produced a brilliant set-up to knock over Gardner, sending a series of deliveries across Australia’s No.7 before producing an in-swinger which disturbed her stumps via a deflection from the thigh pad.
India stuck at their task on a hot day. Credit: Stefan Gosatti/Getty Images
The out-of-form McGrath fell victim to another stunning snare in the field, with Smriti Mandhana taking a brilliant reflex catch at short-leg to give part-timer Shafali Verma her second Test wicket.
India will need to make at least 113 runs in their second innings to make Australia bat again, which could give Alyssa Healy the chance to head to the middle one more time after the retiring legend made 13 on the first day of the game.
Australia are hunting a victory which would secure a win in the multi-format series and hand India their first Test defeat since 2006.
