DAY one of the women’s test match between Australia and India really did belong to only one team – the home side.

After the Australians won the toss and decided to bat first, the Indian spinners got to work and had the Australians in real trouble. When the Australians lost their first wicket on the sixth ball of the innings, and then lost their second four balls later, it was a sign of things to come.

The saving graces of the whole innings were Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath, who put on an 80-run third wicket partnership to get the innings back on track.

A 40-run partnership then came in the fifth wicket between Alyssa Healy and Annabel Sutherland, but as the consecutive maidens began to build up and the wickets continued to tumble, the Australians began to find the going a bit tough. The bowling was tight too, with only two extras ultimately conceded for the whole innings.

Ultimately the Australians were all bowled out for 219 inside 78 overs. McGrath top scored with 50, while Mooney made 40.

Pooja Vastrakar picked up two maidens to go with her four wickets, while Sneh Rana picked up four maidens to go with her three wickets and Deepti Sharma picked up three maidens to go with her two wickets. Rajeshwari Gayakwad also picked up four maidens but did not claim a wicket.

When the Indians came out to bat things did not get any easier for the Australians. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma were striking the ball well, particularly punishing the Australian quicks. Australia seemed slow to recognise the impact its spinners were having on the contest, and persisted with pace a bit longer than they perhaps should have.

When Ash Gardner and Jess Jonassen did come on though they certainly had an impact, reducing the run flow nicely However the Indians were still otherwise making good progress towards the tally, with the openers making a 90-run opening stance.

Jonassen finally did get a breakthrough late in the day, trapping Verma in front and sending her on her way. India finished the day at 1/98, with momentum definitely in their corner.