Alyssa Healy took a firm step on her path back from injury, clubbing India A to all parts of a ground named after her uncle Ian, before putting in her second long stint behind the stumps in three days.
Yet the Australia captain’s strong return from foot and knee issues took a back seat on Friday to her opponents’ own comeback story, theirs from what appeared a doomed run chase to seizing a narrow victory that sealed a one-day series win over Australia A.
The required run-rate was spiraling towards seven-an-over when India A’s last recognised top-order bat, Radha Yadav, was dismissed for 60 to leave her side 7-193 with 11 overs remaining in their pursuit of Australia A’s 9-265.
It took a stirring 68-run stand between the visitors’ numbers eight and nine, Tanuja Kanwer (50 off 57) and Prema Rawat (32no from 33), to pull off the two-wicket triumph.
That was no mean feat given senior quicks Darcie Brown (who took 0-49 in her first match since March) and Kim Garth (1-33) opened the bowling, the pair among a cohort of national team players using the Queensland series for match practice.
Needing five runs off the last over, Kanwer was out to Ella Hayward’s first delivery, but Rawat held her nerve to seize victory with a ball to spare. Yastika Bhatia (66 off 71) and Radha Yadav (60 off 78) had laid the groundwork in the run-chase.
It overshadowed somewhat Healy ramping up her return by pummelling a bruising 91 from just 87 balls in Brisbane, an early warning ahead of the ODI World Cup she will lead Australia at in October.
“They’ve got a really spin-heavy attack and we’re going to have to play a lot of that … throughout the World Cup as well, a lot of the middle overs will be spin-biased,” said Healy.
“For me it’s really good practice, a good opportunity to be really decisive with your feet. I felt like it was okay at times today – not where I exactly want it to be – but can improve next game.”
Equally encouraging for Healy was her work in the field. Friday’s match marked her second game back behind the stumps having not donned the gloves since January in an injury-marred home summer.
“It actually feels really good. I feel in a really good place,” Healy said of her return. “To have a little bit of time to focus on my keeping has been really worthwhile.”
The 35-year-old, who kept for 42 overs in Wednesday’s three-wicket defeat to India A, has made technical adjustments in her keeping stance to, in her words, look after her “ageing joints”.
She looked spry even after spending more than 120 overs either batting or keeping over the first two ODIs, though she had no late-in-the-day tactical inspiration for captain Tahlia McGrath.
“Today was a prime example of why I enjoy sitting out at times!” said Healy, whose regular deputy McGrath is captaining Australia A. “Not having to think about what to do at the back-end there is refreshing.”
Hayward, the Victorian spinner fresh off a breakthrough ’24-25 summer, was entrusted with the last over but had more impact in the field, taking two catches and pulling off a sharp run-out at backward point.
Garth made an unbeaten 41 from 45 to lead Australia A’s late charge with the bat as India A made regular breakthroughs at the other end during Healy’s hitting spree, which ended with more than 20 overs in the innings remaining.
Ultimately the lack of contributions besides senior heads Healy and Garth cost the home side.
Ian Healy Oval will also host the final one-day game on Sunday.
Australia A v India A multi-format series
First T20: Australia A won by 13 runs
Second T20: Australia A won by 114 runs
Third T20: Australia A won by four runs
Australia A 50-Over squad: Tahlia McGrath (c), Nicole Faltum (vc), Darcie Brown, Lauren Cheatle, Amy Edgar, Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Ella Hayward, Alyssa Healy, Anika Learoyd, Rachel Trenaman, Tahlia Wilson
India A 50-over squad: Radha Yadav (c), Minnu Mani (vc), Shafali Verma, Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Tanushree Sarkar, Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Nandini Kashyap (WK), Dhara Gujjar, Joshita VJ, Shabnam Shakeel, Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu, Prema Rawat, Yastika Bhatia
First one-dayer: India A won by three wickets
Second one-dayer: August 15, Northern Suburbs Cricket Club, Brisbane, 9.30am AEST
Third one-dayer: August 17, Northern Suburbs Cricket Club, Brisbane, 9.30am AEST
Australia A four-day squad: Tahlia Wilson (c), Nicole Faltum (vc), Lauren Cheatle, Maddy Darke, Amy Edgar, Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Ella Hayward, Anika Learoyd, Maitlan Brown, Lilly Mills, Georgia Prestwidge, Rachel Trenaman, Courtney Webb
India A four-day squad: Radha Yadav (c), Minnu Mani (vc), Shafali Verma, Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Tanushree Sarkar, Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Nandini Kashyap (wk), Dhara Gujjar, Joshita VJ, Shabnam Shakeel, Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu, Prema Rawat
Only four-day match: August 21-24, Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 9:30am AEST
All matches live on cricket.com.au and Kayo Sports.
