Vaishnavi Sharma and Niki Prasad spin India A Women to a 281-run win over Australia A

India A Women wrapped up a 281-run win over Australia A inside three days in Mohali, Vaishnavi Sharma taking nine wickets in the match and Niki Prasad following 91 with a five-wicket haul

Set 446 to win in the only unofficial Test of the tour, Australia A Women were bowled out for 164 at the I.S. Bindra Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, losing with a day of the match still to spare.

Left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma finished with match figures of 9-110, having taken 6-52 in the first innings and 3-58 in the second. Niki Prasad, who made 91 in India A's first innings, added 5-50 on the final day for a match return of 7-77.

Eighteen wickets fell on the third day as the spinners on both sides took hold of a surface that had begun to turn, and the match finished without needing its scheduled fourth day.

A six-for opens the gap

India A Women batted first after winning the toss and were bowled out for 364, Tanisha Singh making 92 and Prasad 91.

Australia A were then held to 176. Rachel Trenaman top-scored with 44 from 88 balls, Tahlia Wilson made 35 from 61 and Nicole Faltum finished unbeaten on 24, but the innings subsided once Vaishnavi found her length, the last nine wickets adding only 116.

Her 6-52 left India A with a first-innings lead of 188, the margin that shaped the rest of the match.

Punia and Bhatia build the target

India A batted again rather than ask Australia A to follow on, and were 134 for 2 at stumps on the second evening, already 322 in front.

They were bowled out for 257 in 64.2 overs. Priya Punia struck 59 from 77 balls, captain Yastika Bhatia made 46 and Anushka Sharma 48, before Vaishnavi counter-attacked at the end for 24 from 14 balls.

Lilly Mills was the pick of the Australia A attack with 5-88, giving her nine wickets in the match after 4-98 in the first innings, while Frankie Nicklin took four.

Seven wickets for 29 runs

Australia A's chase began steadily enough, Trenaman and Wilson putting on 51 for the first wicket.

Wilson's run-out for 28 broke the stand, and the innings came apart immediately afterwards: seven wickets fell for 29 runs, leaving the visitors 80 for 8 and the result beyond doubt.

India A's spinners shared the work through the middle of the innings, Prasad's off-spin accounting for the bulk of it and Shuchi Upadhyay picking up the other wicket to fall to a bowler.

Flintoff and Mills delay the end

The last stand of substance came from Tess Flintoff and Mills, who added 74 for the ninth wicket and occupied India A for 31.2 overs.

Flintoff made 58 from 146 balls and Mills 32 from 99, both defending rather than scoring in a partnership that was about seeing out the day rather than chasing the target.

Australia A were 154 for 9 when the stand was finally broken, and the innings ended ten runs later.

An all-round award for Prasad

Prasad was named player of the match for 95 runs and seven wickets across the game, an all-round return that decided both the first-innings lead and the final day.

Vaishnavi's nine wickets came at 12.22 apiece and made her the most effective bowler on either side across the four innings.

For Australia A, Mills was the one player to come out of the match with her figures intact, her nine wickets matching Vaishnavi's without the runs behind them.

Scorecard: India A Women 364 and 257 (Punia 59, Bhatia 46, Mills 5-88) beat Australia A Women 176 (Trenaman 44, Vaishnavi Sharma 6-52) and 164 (Flintoff 58, Prasad 5-50) by 281 runs.

Catch the match live updates, highlights, and full match coverage on CricRadio. Get fast, accurate, and ad-free updates throughout the game. Download the CricRadio app from the Play Store to stay connected. You can also get the live scores of cricket series directly on the CricRadio website for real-time coverage.