Australia storm into ICC Women's World Cup final

Mumbai, Feb 10 (IANS): Australia continued their winning ways at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s World Cup India 2013 here Sunday securing a nine-wicket win against Sri Lanka and a place in their eighth Women’s World Cup final.

Win or lose against the West Indies, slated for Feb 13, Jodie Fields‘ team will appear in the final to be held at the Cricket Club of India on Feb 17.

Meanwhile, England‘s Anya Shrubsole took career-best figures of five wickets for just 17 runs to help the current champions beat South Africa by seven wickets in Cuttack.

England will play their final Super Six fixture Feb 13, against New Zealand, in what will be a crucial match for Charlotte Edwards‘ team to attempt to secure a place in their seventh World Cup final.

At CCI, in front of a lively local crowd, Australia won the toss and put Sri Lanka in to bat. Fields’ bowling attack was clinical in their approach, dismissing Sri Lanka for just 131 off 45.2 overs.

The Sri Lankan batting downfall started early when pacer Megan Schutt cleaned up Yasoda Mendis in the fifth over. The side’s innings never really got going as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

The only batter to offer some resistance was Deepika Rasangika who tried to take the attack to the bowlers striking seven fours in her 43. Her 49-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Dilani Manodara (21) was the highest of the innings.

Off-spinner Erin Osborne did the damage in the middle-order taking three wickets. She finished with superb figures of 10-6-9-3 including 54 dot balls. Along with Manodara, she also dismissed the dangerous Eshani Kaushalya, who was brilliantly caught at mid-wicket by Alex Blackwell.

In reply, Australia looked like they were playing on a different pitch to the one the Sri Lankans had started the day on, as openers Meg Lanning (37) and Rachael Haynes (71 not out) put on 55 in under 10 overs before Lanning was out, edging a ball to slip, off the bowling of Sripali Weerakkody.

Haynes was then joined by Jess Cameron as they finished off the match with more than 27 overs to spare to win by nine wickets and secure Australia a place in their eighth Women’s World Cup final.

In another match, in Cuttack, Seamer Anya Shrubsole’s career-best figures of five for 17 helped England beat South Africa by seven wickets at the Barabati Stadium. After electing to bowl, England dismissed South Africa for just 77 in 29.3 overs and then chased down the target in 9.3 overs to end at 81 for three.

South Africa lost wickets at regular intervals as Shrubsole tore through the batting line-up. Dane van Niekerk, with 17, remained unbeaten in the end. The other major wicket-taker for England was Danielle Wyatt who ended with figures of three for seven.

In reply, England lost wickets early on and were at one stage 26 for three, thanks to an incisive spell by Chloe Tryon (two for 14). Thereafter, Lydia Greenway (25 n.o.) and Arran Brindle (28 n.o.) added an unbeaten 55 runs for the fourth wicket as England won with plenty to spare.

England will now have to wait and watch to know what they need to do to make the final.

Brief scores:

At CCI (Mumbai): Sri Lanka 131 all out, 45.2 overs (D Rasangika 43; E Orborne 3-9, L Sthalekar 2-26) Australia 132-1, 22.2 overs (M Lanning 37, R Haynes 71 not out)

Australia won by nine wickets

At Barabati Stadium (Cuttack): South Africa 77 all out, 29.3 overs (A Shrubsole 5-17, D Wyatt 3-17) England 81-3, 9.3 overs (L Greenway 25 not out, A Brindle 28 not out)

England won by seven wickets