Australia women celebrate their five-run win over England in their World T20 semi-final at the Kotla in New Delhi on Wednesday. (Photo: Asian Age)
Australia women celebrate their five-run win over England in their World T20 semi-final at the Kotla in New Delhi on Wednesday. (Photo: Asian Age)
Defending champions Australia had the wood over old foes England yet again, this time by a mere five runs, in their semi-final of the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 at the Kotla here on Wednesday.
Meg Lanning’s women will now contest their fourth straight final, in Kolkata in four days time against either the West Indies or trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand.
Player of the match Lanning led from the front with a 50-ball 55 as she, and openers Alyssa Healy ((25, 19b) and Elysse Vilani (19, 20b) helped post a modereate 132/6, in reply to which England Women were restricted to 127/7.
In the afternoon, England broke a 41-run opening stand in the sixth over but Lanning held her end till she was run out with three balls left in their innings. The middle order failed to push things along but the top three had done enough to give the bowlers a chance.
England Women looked like they had the chase well under control in an opening stand of 67 in under 10 overs. Australia though, needed only a sniff and once they had seen off opener and rival skipper Charlotte Edwards (31, 29b) — top scorer in the tournament — England imploded.
Megan Schutt was the standout performer for Australia Women with her 2/15 in four overs. Complementing her efforts were the others in attack that was well backed up by some excellent fielding.
And as the overs ran out, the target got bigger and bigger till 13 runs were needed from the last six deliveries.
Said Edwards at the post-match presentation, “We did not start well with the ball, but dragged it back. It was not meant to be for us today. It was great to see Marsh come in for Hazell. She has done well.”
Scoreboard Australia Women: Alyssa Healy lbw b Marsh 25, Elyse Villani lbw b Sciver 19, Meg Lanning run out 55, Ellyse Perry c Knight b Sciver 10, Alex Blackwell run out 11, Jess Jonassen c & b Gunn 4, Beth Mooney (not out) 1. Extras: (b1, lb1, w4, nb1) 7. Total: (for 6 wkts, in 20 overs) 132. FoW: 1-41, 2-50, 3-86, 4-123, 5-130, 6-132 Bowling: Brunt 3-0-25-0, Shrubsole 4-0-27-0 (1w), Marsh 4-0-18-1, Sciver 3-0-22-2 (1nb, 2w), Gunn 4-0-22-1, Knight 2-0-16-0 (1w)
England Women: Charlotte Edwards c Lanning b Beams 31, Tammy Beaumont c Lanning b Schutt 32, Sarah Taylor c Healy b Farrell 21, Natalie Sciver b Perry 0, Heather Knight c Villani b Osborne 1, Danielle Wyatt (not out) 10, Katherine Brunt b Schutt 11, Jenny Gunn run out 1, Lydia Greenway (not out) 3. Extras: (b5, l6, w6) 17. Total: (for 7 wkts, in 20 overs) 127. FoW: 1-67, 2-89, 3-91, 4-97, 5-103, 6-116, 7-117 Bowling: Jonassen 3-0-27-0 (3w), Perry 4-0-20-1 (2w), Schutt 4-0-15-2, Farrell 4-0-26-1, Beams 4-0-23-1, Osborne 1-0-5-1 (1w)
