Megan Schutt took a brilliant maiden five-for before debutant Georgia Voll sealed the win to get Australia off to a flying start in the series
Georgia Voll has made an immediate impact in the green and gold, top-scoring with an unbeaten 46 as Australia defeated India by five wickets in the first one-day international against India.
Megan Schutt starred with the ball, claiming 5-19 – her first five-wicket haul in one-dayers – as India crumpled to be all out for 100 in 34.2 overs at Allan Border Field.
Queenslander Voll, debuting on her home ground, then joined opener Phoebe Litchfield (35 off 29) in a 48-run opening stand.
After Litchfield departed, Voll remained unflappable as Australia suffered a wobble losing 4-29, then became increasingly expansive as the hosts drew closer to their target.
The 21-year-old hit six fours and one six, finishing unbeaten on 46 from 42 balls as Australia sealed victory in 16.2 overs.
Australia now hold a 1-0 series lead, with the second ODI to be played at the same venue on Sunday.
Earlier, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur elected to bat first on a warm day, but India’s new-looking opening partnership of Smriti Mandhana and Priya Punia lacked intent as they were tied down early by the Australian new-ball pair of Schutt and Kim Garth (1-20).
Mandhana (8) struck two boundaries but had to depart for eight after wafting at a wide delivery from Schutt, with wicketkeeper Beth Mooney pouching the catch.
Punia struggled to score, with just three runs coming from the 16 deliveries she faced before she looked to slog Schutt, but only managed to sky a catch to Ashleigh Gardner.
Harleen Deol (19 off 34) was brilliantly caught by a leaping Annabel Sutherland at mid-on, leaving India 3-42, and when the allrounder trapped Harmanpreet lbw for 17, India’s woes only worsened.
Jemimah Rodrigues (23 from 42) came into the series in good form from her stint with Brisbane Heat and looked to use familiar conditions to her advantage, but only managed to find the boundary once before she was bowled by Garth.
From there, India lost 6-11 in 8.1 overs to be dismissed for 100, their second lowest total when batting first against Australia.
Georgia Wareham produced a brilliant direct hit from the boundary to run Deepti Sharma out for one, and Schutt returned to tear through the lower order.
Needing 101 for a 1-0 series lead, Litchfield walked out with debutant Voll and was the immediately on the attack, hitting eight boundaries as she raced to 35 from 29 deliveries, but her rampage was cut short when she was caught off the bowling of Renuka Thakur.
That prompted a wobble from the hosts, who lost 3-27 as Ellyse Perry (1), Mooney (1) and Sutherland (6) departed cheaply.
Earlier, Mooney presented Voll with Australia ODI cap no.150 as she made her debut in the place of injured Australia captain Alyssa Healy.
The second ODI will be played at Allan Border Field on Sunday.
Australia squad: Tahlia McGrath (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Darcie Brown, Kim Garth, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Uma Chetry, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh (wk), Tejal Hasabnis, Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra, Priya Punia, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Titas Sadhu, Deepti Sharma, Renuka Singh Thakur, Saima Thakor, Radha Yadav
First ODI: December 5: Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 3.20pm AEDT
Second ODI: December 8: Allan Border Field, Brisbane, 10.45am AEDT
Third ODI: December 11: WACA Ground, Perth, 3.20pm AEDT