Heather Graham makes cricket history with bizarre T20 hat-trick

Heather Graham has clinched a special piece of history in a bizarre moment during Australia's convincing win over India in the fifth and final T20 international. Graham's bowling and an awesome display of batting from Ash Gardner and Grace Harris helped secure Australia a resounding 4-1 series triumph in India.

Gardner and Harris smashed 129 in 10.2 overs in an unbeaten fifth-wicket partnership in Mumbai, providing the platform for the Aussies' commanding 54-run win. Their exploits even largely overshadowed a hat-trick by Graham, although it could have had something to do with the unusual nature of the stunning feat.

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Graham's second and third wickets came six overs apart, with the Aussie bowler admitting afterwards that the hat-trick took her by surprise at the time. The crucial wicket in question came after belated resistance from India star Deepti Sharma, who snacked 53 off 34 balls before being last out when she was caught by Gardner off the bowling of Graham.

That gave Graham the remarkable figures of four wickets for eight runs off two overs, including the telling third wicket that came 24 balls after her second scalp. "Not sure how that [hat-trick] happened," she said afterwards. "I really didn't realise it was the hat-trick ball."

Remarkably, it saw Graham become just the second Australian woman in T20I history to record a hat-trick for the national side, emulating teammate Megan Schutt's feat in 2018. Even more bizarrely, Schutt's hat-trick also came against the same opposition at the same venue in Mumbai.

India won the toss and put Australia in to bat but the plan backfired as the visitors racked up 4-196 off their 20 overs. In reply India could only muster 142, being all out off the final ball.

Ash Gardner and Grace Harris in batting masterclass

Gardner cracked 66 runs off just 32 balls, with her blistering knock including 11 fours and a six. Queenslander Harris bludgeoned her highest T20i score, with 64 off 35 that contained six fours and fours sixes.

"I loved watching Ash and Grace today. We pride ourselves on fearless cricket, like to take the game on and stay ahead," said Australia's stand-in captain Tahlia McGrath.

As in the fourth match Gardner was the all-round star also taking 2-20 and two catches. "I think it's easy batting with someone like Grace, who has the power game to back up the chat," Gardner said. "I'm just enjoying my cricket more than anything else, reaping the benefits on the field."

The Aussie pair's onslaught put the game beyond an Indian team who lost world ranked No.3 batter Smriti Mandhana for four in the first over after which wickets tumbled regularly. Harleen Deol (24 off 16 balls) got going but she was run out by McGrath.

Australia's regular skipper Alyssa Healy missed the game after straining her calf while batting in the fourth match so McGrath took the reins for Australia. Beth Mooney donned the gloves, and Phoebe Litchfield stepped in as opener. Australia also made a change in their bowling attack with Kim Garth replacing Schutt.

Litchfield, playing in her second international but making her batting debut, began well, straight-driving her second ball to the boundary. She then gained a fortunate six as an attempted run-out as she ran two produced four overthrows. However, off her ninth ball she was stumped for 11 as she sought to attack Sharma.

That left Australia 2-17 midway through the third over as Mooney was already back in the hutch after chopping on fourth ball for two. By the end of the fifth over, with Australia 2-24, McGrath knew it was time to lead by example. Hitting sixes over extra cover and long-on the No.1 women's T20 batter took 17 off the sixth over, plus a wide.

However, with McGrath stumped for a run-a-ball 26 and the in-form Ellyse Perry caught at long-on for 18 off 14 Australia reached the mid-point 4-72. Gardner and Harris steadied matters, then cut loose with Gardner hitting four successive fours and Harris three sixes in seven balls.

They kept that pace up hitting at least two boundaries off each of the last eight overs as India wilted to the extent two more sets of four overthrows were conceded. Between them they had crushed India's spirit and set Australia on course for victory.

with AAP

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