IND W v ENG W: Deepti becomes second woman cricketer to score fifties in first four Tests

Mumbai, Dec 22: Indian women's cricketer Deepti Sharma on Friday equalled a world record, joining Australia's Denise Emerson nee Alderman as the second player in the history of women's cricket to score half-centuries in her first four Test matches.

Deepti was batting on 70 at stumps on the second day of the one-off Test against Australia Women at the Wankhede Stadium here. She and pacer Pooja Vastrakar raised 102 runs for the unfinished eighth-wicket partnership that helped India recover from a collapse just before the tea break when they lost four quick wickets. At stumps, India were 376/7 in 119 overs, with Deepti batting on 70 with Pooja on 33.

Deeti had scored 67 and 20 runs in the previous Test against England at the DY Patil Stadium last week. The 26-year-old from Agra, Uttar Pradesh, had scored a fighting 54 in the second innings of her debut Test against England at Bristol in 2021, which helped India draw the match.

In her next Test against Australia at Carrara in September 2021, Deepti scored 66 in the first innings to help India post 377/8 declared in their first innings.

The back-to-back fifties at Dy Patil and Wankhede helped her set the record and join Denise Emerson in scoring half-centuries in the first four Tests.

Denise had scored 84, 131, 84 and 58 in her first four innings against England in December and January 1985.

Deepti thus became the ninth batter in women's cricket to score four half-centuries in consecutive matches.

The record for most consecutive fifties is held jointly by Australia's Peta Verco and Hemlata Kala of India who scored five consecutive half-centuries.

Verco scored 68, 81, 67, 105 and 78 in five Tests -- one against New Zealand (1979) and four against India in 1984. Hemlata scored 110, 64, 62, 110 and 68 in five matches between 2002 to 2006.