West Indies Women 143 for 6 (Cooper 61, Taylor 25, Devine 4-22) beat New Zealand Women 137 for 8 (McGlashan 38, Satterthwaite 24, Taylor 3-26) by six runs Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
All along, batsmen have had to find innovative ways to keep the runs ticking. Scoops, paddles, dabs and strike rotation have been the key largely due to surfaces on offer. The first sign of a true surface and the belligerence of the batsmen came to the fore at the Wankhede Stadium in a high-scoring clash that West Indies Women won by six runs – their first semi-final victory – to set up a final date with Australia Women in Kolkata on Sunday. Like the men, New Zealand Women bowed out of the tournament after going through the group stages unscathed.
West Indies, all swagger and substance, challenged the might of New Zealand’s spin trio of Morna Nielsen, Leigh Kasperek and Erin Bermingham to post an imposing 143 for 6. Sara McGlashan and Amy Satterthwaite then overcame slices of luck – they could have been run-out on a number of occasions during the course of their fourth-wicket stand of 59, but their dismissal in the space of four deliveries thwarted New Zealand’s designs. They eventually finished on 137 for 8 as West Indies broke their semi-final voodoo after three failed attempts.
Britney Cooper was the principal destroyer for West Indies as she made a belligerent 48-ball 61. However, it was far from a one-woman show as Stafanie Taylor, the captain, and Deandra Dottinplayed their part in injecting momentum at various stages of the innings to somewhat cover up for the lack of big hits towards the end. While they managed just one four and two sixes in the last five overs, they still managed to eke out 43 valuable runs.
New Zealand, who had stamped their authority over the rest of the field in the group stages, needed their accomplished top order to produce the best batting display of the tournament. Although Rachel Priest fell early, Sophie Devine came out all guns blazing, hitting four boundaries off her first six deliveries to bring the chase back on track. But some lackadaisical running coupled with Dottin’s rocket throw from point found her inches short of the crease. When Bates was pouched off a leading edge at mid-off four balls later, New Zealand slipped to 49 for 3 to throw the chase off track again.
McGlashan then took the onus on her to keep the scoreboard ticking along, as she combined with Satterthwaite to eat into the target. Without taking any risks, the pair comfortably managed to churn an average of seven runs every over, even as they were helped by a West Indies unit that seemed to have switched off briefly. By bringing down the equation to 56 off the last six, the game was delicately poised. But by picking 13 off the following over, there seemed to be another twist that threw open possibilities of a last-over thriller. But Taylor’s double-strike in the 17th over to dismiss Sattherthwaite and McGlashan, both to Shemaine Campbelle at sweeper cover, subsided New Zealand’s challenge.
Mathews provided the early spark as the game started off as an intriguing battle between New Zealand’s spinners and West Indies’ big-hitting batsmen. Nielsen, the left-arm spinner, gave Bates an early breakthrough by trapping Matthews plumb in front in the third over, but West Indies showed their depth when it mattered most.
At the other end, the ball was pinging the middle of Taylor’s bat as she started her scoring with a back-foot punch for four, and followed that with a cut shot. Cooper, who came in at No. 3 in what was a surprise move, then unsettled Leigh Kasperek, the tournament’s highest wicket-taker, with two boundaries in her first over by stepping out and clearing the infield.
New Zealand looked dangerous whenever their spinners had proved tough to negotiate. But on Thursday, when there wasn’t much turn or slowness off the surface, most of them, barring Nielsen, looked largely ineffective. Taylor’s mistimed slog against the run of play came as a breather for New Zealand, but Dottin marked her arrival with a whip over square leg for four to seamlessly switch momentum. Cooper’s dismissal in the 18th over could have cost West Indies 10 extra runs on another day, but Merissa Aguilleira’s cameo ensured West Indies kept going forward despite losing wickets.
After finishing off well with the bat, Dottin was summoned to bowl the final over in which she had to defend 19, and she did like she had against India to close out the game in style.
Shashank Kishore is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
Second Round Super 10 (Group 1) – England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Afghanistan (Group B winner) Super 10 (Group 2) – Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Bangladesh (Group A winner)
“Athleticism is something you are given by God, but aerobic fitness is something we’ve got to get better,” he added. “We missed out on twos, and we’ve lost by one boundary. We’ve got to change our mindset a bit, and toughen up a bit.”
Not for the first time this tournament, England appeared to be cruising to victory while Edwards and Tammy Beaumont were adding 67 for the first wicket in the space of ten overs. But a familiar middle-order wobble left them with too much ground to make up in the closing overs, as they drifted out to 117 for 7.
“Both teams got to similar stages,” said Robinson. “Both teams struggled to get boundaries in the end. It was all about the first 10 overs. The batting will get all the attention but, with big boundaries, slowish bowlers and no one in front of the wicket, it’s hard to find the boundaries.”
Since his appointment last summer, Robinson has focused on adding new levels of aggression to England’s batting, which manifested itself in the only three sixes of the day, from Beaumont, Sarah Taylor and Katherine Brunt. However, his call for “360 degree” batting proved less successful, with Taylor in particular guilty of a limp dismissal off an attempted reverse-sweep.
Robinson, however, reiterated his original point in defence of such attempts at innovation.
“It was a bit of a problem because we couldn’t run our twos,” he said. “It was a catch-22 because, if you can’t get past the boundary and you can’t run twos, you’re starting to struggle a bit. But we hit six sixes in the tournament, so I know they’re going in the right direction.
“There’s a lot of potential in the group,” he added. “A lot of girls with a lot to offer, we’ve got to give them belief and stick with the right players as well and accept there will be some bumps. But we’ve got to push them and extend them as well, because there’s a lot more in the tank.”
Though Edwards’ place is hardly under scrutiny given her form in the tournament, her 10-year role as captain may yet come under review. Likewise, the place of veteran players such as Lydia Greenway, who played in the 2005 Ashes win, and Jenny Gunn may have to be called into question if the team is to evolve in time for the 2017 World Cup on home soil.
“We’re 45 minutes after losing a semi-final by a boundary,” said Robinson. “It’s too early to get into those situations. You’ve got to make sure your base is big enough, you’ve got players to come in, There needs to be competition.
“We’re looking for players who can stand up and be counted, and play under the pressure, and have the aerobic fitness to do the job necessary. That will be a necessity for any women’s team going forward.
“We need more players like the captain,” he added. “She’s led fantastically well over the years. She’s got a fierceness inside her to keep improving and keep scoring runs. That’s something you want in all your players.”
Edwards herself reiterated her desire to continue as England captain. “Absolutely,” she said. “I’ve been challenged pretty hard to expand my game and I feel I’m playing as well as I ever have done. Of course I want to keep captaining England. If I’m not the right person, it’s not going to be my decision. But I love what I do and I hope to keep giving more to this group.”
Andrew Miller is UK editor of ESPNcricinfo. He tweets @miller_cricket
It’s a clash between two powerhouses of the women’s game, one that elicits excitement, passion and the urge to win at any cost. Not that some of the other sides don’t, but England v Australia anywhere in the world, be it in men’s or women’s cricket, is a contest of nerves, frayed tempers at times, anticipation, and plenty of verbal volleys.
That Meg Lanning and her Southern Stars are within two wins from adding their fourth World T20 title into their burgeoning trophy cabinet should fire them up. Equally keyed up on the other side will be Charlotte Edwards, England’s talisman, best batsman, reputed leader, legend of the game, who would want to make, perhaps, her last World T20 appearance a memorable one. But that won’t be a walk in the park by any means.
England go in to the clash with an all-win record in the group stages. The misfiring batting unit somewhat found remedial measures in demoralising Pakistan; Edwards leading the way with an exuberant half-century. In comparison, Australia’s campaign has been a topsy-turvy one, with the top order continuing to come under scrutiny – their meltdown against superior attacks in New Zealand and South Africa – is something England would have done well to note.
Both England and Australia know what it takes to win the title, but the similarity ends there. Since winning the inaugural edition in 2009, England have somehow slipped under pressure – losing to Australia on three occasions in a knockout clash at a world event. Australia, who won two titles under Jodie Fields in 2010 and 2012, seemed to have carried forward the mantle even in the absence of some stalwarts like Lisa Sthalekar. The transition has been seamless as the side lifted the trophy under Lanning in 2012 and 2014.
While England have played their matches in Banglore, Dharamsala and Chennai, that Australia have been based in Delhi for more than week now could give them an edge come Wednesday.
Form guide
(last five completed matches, most recent first) Australia : WWLWW England: WWWWW
In the spotlight
There’s been an air of intrigue around England’s Sarah Taylor ever since she became the first woman to play men’s grade cricket in Australia last year. Taylor evokes awe when she bashes the ball with an abandon rarely seen in the women’s game. With 288 runs in five innings coming into the Women’s World T20, she was a part of the opposition’s plan in every game. But scores of 9, 16, 3 and 0 accompanied by the manner of her dismissals against spin particularly may be playing on her mind. There’s no bigger opportunity to set things straight than against Australia in her fifth straight World T20 campaign.
Alyssa Healy has been the No. 1 wicketkeeper across formats since Jodie Fields retired in 2013. While her modest numbers aren’t a true reflection of her potential, it’s time she translated that into a performance of note at the business end of the tournament. While her glovework has been impressive, scores of 5, 2, 12 and 6 point to her being a weak link in an otherwise robust top order.
Teams news
Heather Knight’s stomach bug briefly caused concerns in the England camp when she missed the game against Pakistan in Chennai, but Edwards confirmed she has sufficiently recovered since and is likely to take the field barring a relapse. That means she is likely to slot back in at the expense of Georgia Elwiss, who made a golden duck in her only game in the competition. There could also be a temptation to persist with Laura Marsh, who impressed in her only outing, with three wickets. Her batting could come in handy as well.
England (probable) 1. Charlotte Edwards 2.Tammy Beaumont 3. Sarah Taylor 4. Heather Knight 5. Natalie Sciver 6. Laura Marsh 7. Lydia Greenway 8. Danny Wyatt 9. Katherine Brunt 10. Jenny Gunn 11. Anya Shrubsole
Depending on how the surface plays – Kotla is known to aid slower bowlers traditionally even though it has played far better than some of the other tracks in the country – Australia could ponder over the inclusion of Erin Osborne, the offspinner, in place of Lauren Cheatle, the left-arm seamer.
Australia (probable) 1 Elyse Villani. 2 Alyssa Healy 3 Meg Lanning 4 Ellyse Perry 5 Alex Blackwell 6 Jess Jonassen 7 Beth Mooney 8 Erin Osborne/Lauren Cheatle 9 Megan Schutt 10 Rene Farrell 11 Kristen Beams
Pitch and conditions
Both captains expected the surface to play well, and there was ample proof of it when Australia played Sri Lanka last week. While spinners did make an impact, it was more due to their skill more than anything else. The fact that a men’s semi-final would follow later would mean the need to produce a surface that plays well throughout.
Stats and trivia
Australia and England have clashed only once before at the World T20 semi-final, in 2009. England had the better of the exchanges then, and went on to win the tournament
With 572 runs in 24 matches, Charlotte Edwards is has the leading run aggregate in T20Is between both sides. Meg Lanning comes second with 520 runs in 19 matches.
Quotes
“Any England-Australia game, whether it’s the Ashes or at a World Cup is one of the biggest games you play in. We’ve had experience of last summer. We will take confidence from winning T20s 2-1. But you’ve got to win; you can’t predict the semi-finals like you could ten years ago.”England captain Charlotte Edwards expects a tough fight
“There’s definitely a fair bit if banter. We love playing against England because we know it’s going to be a tough contest. With the WBBL this year, we played alongside few of the girls as well so that adds another dimension I guess. Once we walk over that white line where the battle really starts, we’re looking forward to taking them on and we’ll be on the front foot, that’s for sure.”Australia captain Meg Lanning on the famous rivalry
Shashank Kishore is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
She wanted to be a fast bowler, but a lack of talent (and height) forced her to take up the gloves, and now she’s Australia’s first pick behind the wicket
Kathy Cross and Claire Polosak will be the first female umpires to officiate in the Women’s World T20, and they hope to inspire more women to get involved
She wanted to be a fast bowler, but a lack of talent (and height) forced her to take up the gloves, and now she’s Australia’s first pick behind the wicket
Kathy Cross and Claire Polosak will be the first female umpires to officiate in the Women’s World T20, and they hope to inspire more women to get involved
She wanted to be a fast bowler, but a lack of talent (and height) forced her to take up the gloves, and now she’s Australia’s first pick behind the wicket
Kathy Cross and Claire Polosak will be the first female umpires to officiate in the Women’s World T20, and they hope to inspire more women to get involved
Mar 15, 2016 New Zealand Women began their World T20 campaign with an easy seven-wicket win after a late collapse restricted Sri Lanka Women to 110 for 8 in Delhi
Mar 15, 2016 Bangladesh’s lack of big-stage experience was brutally exposed in India’s clinical win in the opening match of the Women’s World T20 2016
women’ s Cricket first match report-India thrash Bangladesh by 72 runs to win opener
India Women 163 for 5 (Raj 42, Harmanpreet 40) beat Bangladesh Women 91 for 5 (Sultana 27*, Patil 2-16, Poonam 2-17) by 72 runs
Bowlers Anuja Patil and Poonam Yadav captured two early wickets to put Bangladesh in a spot of bother at 24/2 in 7 overs in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 match between India and Bangladesh at Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Earlier, Skipper Mithali Raj, Vellaswamy Vanitha, Harmanpreet Kaur and Veda Krishnamuthy all contributed, as India put up a tough score of 163/5 in 20 overs.
Sent in to bat after Bangladesh won the toss, Mithali Raj and Vanitha opened with a strong stand, scoring 62 for the first wicket in 7.4 overs. Vanitha was the first out off the bowling of Nahida Akter, bowled for 38 off 24 balls.
Smriti Mandhana then fell without scoring before a small partnership developed between Raj and Kaur. Mithali Raj was finally out for 42 in the 14th over with the score on 95.
However, any hopes Bangladesh had of restricting India to below 150 were foiled first by Harmanpreet Kaur, who hit 40 off 29 balls, and when she was out, by Krishnamurthy (36 off 24). India finally finished on 163/5.
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A disappointed England team looks on from the dugout after being defeated 
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