A match-winning century from WA opener Maddy Darke has inspired Australia A to a thrilling victory over a determined India A outfit in their four-day clash played in the Gold Coast.

A double-wicket over by Victorian Tess Flintoff has turned a see-sawing four-day clash against India A and helped put Australia A on course for a 45-run victory on the Gold Coast.

Australia A skipper Charli Knott’s bold call to keep the allrounder in the attack after conceding 13 runs in her previous over was vindicated when Flintoff responded with two key breakthroughs to drastically change the momentum of the final day.

The right-armer removed Uma Chetry (47) with a short ball, breaking a free-flowing 79-run seventh-wicket partnership between the Indian wicketkeeper and Raghvi Bist that had taken the visitors from an outside chance of victory at the start of the fourth day to perhaps in the box seat.

Flintoff (3-39) lured Chetry into a pull shot from the second ball of her 14th over of the innings that the India A No.8 lobbed to Emma de Broughe at midwicket, before she delivered a telling blow three deliveries later when she bowled Bist for 26.

The Aussies started the day in a strong position after late breakthroughs by Knott (3-34) and Grace Parsons (2-37) the previous evening removed dangerous India A captain Minnu Mani and Shubha Satheesh (45) to leave the hosts requiring a further four wickets on the final morning.

But Chetry resumed on Sunday with a flurry of boundaries, and with Bist at the other end proving the rock to her counterattack, they reduced the runs required from 140 at the start of the day to 80 within the first hour.

Knott cycled through herself and fellow spinners Parsons and Lilly Mills, along with fast bowler Kate Peterson searching for the elusive breakthrough before Flintoff was thrown the new ball at the beginning of the 81st over.

It was a rocky return for the 21-year-old as Chetry began with two boundaries through backward point against the new Kookaburra to help take 13 runs from over.

The wicketkeeper-batter came undone looking to continue her attack in Flintoff’s following over however, as new ball partner Maitlan Brown (1-29) also struck, India A losing 3-9 to see their chances of a miracle win slip away.

Queensland off-spinner Knott finished the job when Sayali Satghare (21) offered a simple return catch, Australia A hanging on to complete an enthralling 45-run victory just before lunch.

The result sees Australia to a 6-1 victory in the multi-format ‘A’ series after sweeping the three T20s and winning two of the three 50-over matches.

“Physically I’m not in the best shape at the minute but it goes to show this format of the game the way a Test will go physically, mentally, tactically,” said Darke, whose family watched on as she brought up her second ton of the ‘A’ series.

“Definitely coming to see what red-ball cricket is about.”

“Every run was going to be crucial on a wicket that is getting harder and harder to bat on,” said Darke. “Getting as many as we can and taking it bit by bit was key.

“(Hancock) was definitely playing the team role there and I really appreciate what she did for me. On a personal note I was really thankful for that.”