Australia mauls India by eight wickets, takes 1-0 lead

SYDNEY: Indian women's team stood thoroughly out-played against Australia in their opening match of a five-match ODI series after the hosts romped home to a thumping eight-wicket win at Hurstville Oval, on Friday.
Chasing 184 to win, vice-captain Alex Blackwell (75) and Lisa Sthalekar (73) stitched together a 116-run partnership for the second-wicket to guide the hosts to the easy victory.
The visiting bowlers hardly troubled the Aussie batters as they achieved the victory target with 12 overs to spare.
The New South Wales duo was untroubled all through as they scored freely with well-placed shots and hard running between the wickets.
Indian skipper and strike pacer Jhulan Goswami tried every trick in her bag but failed to make an impact.
Blackwell was finally dismissed in the 33rd over at an individual score of 75, bringing Karen Rolton to the crease but it did not affect the scoring pattern as the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars cruised to a 1-0 series lead.
Earlier, the hosts produced a disciplined effort with the ball.
Had it not been for a 61-run partnership between Goswani (46) and Rumeli Dhar (unbeaten 35) in the latter stages of their innings, India could not even have managed to post a respectable total.
Ellyse Perry and Emma Sampson shared three wickets between them in a four-over spell, leaving India struggling at 5-89.
Goswami and Dhar then guided India through a tricky period before they finished at 6-183.