On Saturday, in the second match of the doubleheader of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, the Ashes rivals, Australia and England locked horns against each other. England won the toss and opted to bowl first.
Put in to bat by England, the six-time World Champions, Australia piled up a daunting total of 310-3 in 50 overs, riding on the opening batter and vice-captain Rachael Haynes’ blistering century. The southpaw registered her second ODI century and first in a World Cup. Haynes muscled 130 runs off 131 balls, including 14 boundaries and a six. Captain Meg Lanning joined hands with her deputy and stitched a record 196-run partnership for the second wicket. Lanning and Haynes broke the record of their previous best which was a 181-run partnership for the fourth wicket. The duo smashed the English bowlers all around the park and made them look listless. It was as if Australia carried on from where they had left in the Women’s Ashes when the beat England 3-0 in the ODI leg of the Ashes. Towards the business end of the innings, Beth Mooney (27 not out off 19 balls) and Ellyse Perry (14 not out off 5 balls) scored some quick runs to take the Australian total beyond the 300-run mark.
130 Runs
131 balls
14×4
1×6
SR: 99.23#Ashes #TeamAustralia pic.twitter.com/Rgq0Pm56IC— Female Cricket #CWC22 (@imfemalecricket) March 5, 2022
For England, the bowlers did not have a great day at office as they managed to pick up just three Australian wickets. The seam twins in Natalie Sciver and Katherine Brunt accounted for two wickets and one wicket respectively. While Sciver got rid of the dangerous Alyssa Healy (28 runs off 35 balls) in the ninth over of the match and Haynes in the 49th over, Brunt sent Lanning back to the pavilion in the 43rd over. Other English bowlers, including Sophie Ecclestone, Kate Cross and Anya Shrubsole went wicketless. Left-arm spinner Ecclestone was the most expensive bowler as she conceded 77 runs in her 10 overs.
🇦🇺Australia: 310/3
🏴 England require 311 runs to win.#CWC22 pic.twitter.com/isnukaTufB— Female Cricket #CWC22 (@imfemalecricket) March 5, 2022
England need 311 runs to win. If England chase this down, this will be the highest successful run chase in a Women’s Cricket World Cup match, with the previous best being just under 260. Can the defending champions create history? Stay tuned to find out.
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I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.