The two Taylors take England to World Cup Final

England sealed a place in the ICC Women’s World Cup final after a comprehensive 146-run win over the West Indies.

Player of the Match Sarah Taylor, made an excellent 78, while fifties from Claire Taylor and Caroline Atkins, helped build an imposing England total, before spinner Laura Marsh added to her growing reputation with three wickets.

On a difficult Drummoyne wicket, Sarah Taylor (78) and Caroline Atkins (50) added 134 for the first-wicket to give England a solid base, but the loss of four wickets for just 11 runs gave Charlotte Edwards’ side some cause for concern.

A brilliant innings from Claire Taylor then helped it record the fourth highest total of the tournament to date as it reached 236-8 off 50 overs.

Taylor smashed a brilliant 65, off 56 balls, including two sixes, as she gave the England innings some much needed momentum.

In reply, the West Indies never looked like reaching its target, despite some big hitting from Stafanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin who both hit sixes.

Dottin, who top scored with 23, put on a useful 44-run partnership for the West Indies, as it attempted to recover from 22-4.

But once Dottin was dismissed, the rest of the batting crumbled and it was eventually dismissed for 90 all out with Marsh taking 3-17. 

ICC Women's World Cup 2009  News -Tuesday, March 17, 2009 1:46:19 AM

Australia downs Pakistan to keep its final hopes live

Shelley Nitschke and Lauren Ebsary stroked fine half-centuries as defending champion Australia defeated Pakistan by 107 runs in a Super Six stage match of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2009, keeping alive its hopes of reaching the final. 

Nitschke scored a flawless 56 while Ebsary hit a dogged 51 as Australia scored 229-5 in its allotted 50 overs after electing to bat first. Pakistan, in turn, always looked like it was struggling against an experienced and penetrative bowling attack and was eventually bowled out for 122 in 45.1 overs, despite having been 65-1 at one stage. 

It was Pakistan’s highest score against Australia after it was bowled out for 23 and 27 in the previous two matches against the five-time champion in Melbourne and Hyderabad, India, in 1997. 

The victory has put Australia on four points along with India and New Zealand who have played one fewer match but go head to head at the North Sydney Oval on Tuesday in front of ESPN STAR Sports cameras. The winner of tomorrow’s match will strengthen its claims for a place in the 22 March final as both the teams will then play their last matches on Thursday against lower-ranked sides, with New Zealand facing Pakistan and India meeting the West Indies. 

Two-time champion England is sitting pretty on six points with games against the West Indies and Australia still to come. A win over the West Indies at Drummoyne on Tuesday will guarantee it a place in the final for the first time since 1993 and will also equal Australia’s world record of 17 consecutive women’s ODI victories. 

Nitschke, who was later declared player of the match, admitted Australia’s fate rested on the other results which was not what her team had expected in the lead-up to the tournament. 

“I guess we probably have been a little bit (disappointed up till now),” she said. 

“It’s been a good build-up for years, it’s the World Cup, it’s in Australia, we’re the favourites and wanted to do well and we obviously find ourselves in a position where we are relying on some other results to get us through. So from that prospective, it probably has been a little bit disappointing, but now we’re just trying to stay positive and play good cricket and keep winning,” she said. 

“We are taking one step at a time at the moment. We are just happy to come here, play some good cricket, get a good win and now we’ll start looking forward to the England match and planning for that. 

“Pakistan showed that it has improved and the same with the West Indies. Both the teams have some good players, so if they can go well you never know. 

“We probably haven’t won as convincingly as we would have liked in some of the other games so to win that today quite convincingly like that was really good for us as a team. (We just need) to keep rolling and to keep winning and do what we can from this point,” she added. 

At the Bankstown Oval, Sydney, in front of more than 1,000 spectators, including school children and local residents, Australia showed its bench strength when it rested captain Karen Rolton, Lisa Sthalekar, Delissa Kimmince and Emma Sampson but still batted well to reach 229-5 against an ever-improving Pakistan bowling which was once again well supported by the fielders. 

Nitschke held the top order together in the first half of Australia’s innings which saw the home side score 108-1, while Ebsary took the charge in the second half of the innings to ensure the home team collected a further 121 runs to reach a winning score of 229-6, including 32 runs in its batting PowerPlay which it took between the 41st and 45th overs. 

Nitschke put on 100 runs for the first wicket with Lauren Poulton (47 off 86 balls) while Ebsary added 69 runs for the fourth wicket with Jodie Fields (36 off 41 balls). Nitschke’s 64-ball knock included five fours and a six while Ebsary, dropped twice by Sana Mir off her own bowling when she was seven and 19, hit two fours in a 71-ball knock. 

Pakistan, playing its fifth match since the tournament began on 7 March, was sharp in the field despite dropping two catches. The bowlers also made the Australia batters work hard for their runs when they bowled straight and according to the field. 

Pakistan started off nicely despite losing Nain Abidi when the score was on 19 to reach 65-1 in 17.2 overs before it lost its last nine wickets for 57 runs to be bowled out for 122 with 4.5 overs to spare. 

Wickets were evenly shared between Leah Poulton, Ellyse Perry and Rene Farrell who shared two wickets apiece. 

Scores in brief: 

At Bankstown Oval, Sydney, Australia 229-6, 50 overs (Shelley Nitschke 56, Lauren Ebsary 51, Leah Poulton 47, Jodie Fields 36; Sana Mir 2-36) 

Pakistan 122 all out, 45.1 overs (Asmavia Iqbal 36, Bismah Maroof 24; Leah Poulton 2-9, Ellyse Perry 2-16, Rene Farrell 2-23) 

Australia won by 107 runs

Fixtures for Tuesday 

17 Mar – India v New Zealand, North Sydney Oval 

17 Mar – England v West Indies, Drummoyne 

Points table 
TEAM         PLAYED  WON  LOST  POINTS   NNR
England             3          3            0              6          +0.62
Australia           4          2            2              4          +0.91
India                   3          2            1              4          +0.32
New Zealand    3          2            1              4           -0.62
Pakistan            4           1           3              2           -0.99
West Indies      3          0           3              0           -0.16


 
Forthcoming matches:

19 Mar – Australia v England, North Sydney Oval
 
19 Mar – India v West Indies, Bankstown
 
19 Mar – New Zealand v Pakistan, Drummoyne
 
21 Mar – third-fourth position play-off, Bankstown
 
21 Mar – fifth-sixth position play-off, Drummoyne
 
22 Mar – Final, North Sydney Oval

ICC Women's World Cup 2009  News - Monday, March 16, 2009 7:31:07 AM

Australia shows its class with comfortable victory

Australia’s slim hopes of reaching the ICC Women’s World Cup Final remain alive after a comprehensive 107-run win over Pakistan.

Half centuries from Shelley Nitschke and Lauren Ebsary were the key to Australia’s victory, which was supported by a tidy bowling performance in the field.

Australia’s opening pair of Nitschke (56) and Leah Poulton (47) created a solid base for the home side to build on after an opening stand of 100.

Sana Mir (2-35) then grabbed two quick wickets and was then involved in the run-out of Alex Blackwell to reduce Australia to 130-3.

Ebsary (51) and Jodie Fields (36) then once again combined to add 69 for the fourth wicket, but a disciplined bowling and fielding display by Pakistan restricted Australia to 229-6 off 50 overs.

In reply, some excellent and positive batting from Bismah Maroof (24) and Asmavia Iqbal (36) put Pakistan in contention.

But the lack of depth in the Pakistani batting was again exposed when it suffered a dramatic collapse, slipping from 65-1 to 89-7, with Shelley Nitschke and Erin Osborne both bowling tight spells.

Some brave resistance from skipper Urooj Mumtaz (14 not out from 62 balls) saw Pakistan to 122 all out, with Leah Poulton, Ellyse Perry and Rene Farrell all taking two wickets.

ICC Women's World Cup 2009  News-Monday, March 16, 2009 2:16:08 AM

Australia tries to keep World Cup dreams alive

Australia will try to get its World Cup campaign back on track when it takes on Pakistan in the Super Six stages on Monday.

It needs to win its remaining two matches, including Thursday’s encounter with England, and then hope other results go its way, if it is to make it to Sunday’s final.

 Pakistan goes into the match on the back of a brilliant four-wicket victory over the West Indies on Saturday.

 It will be hoping to improve on its previous two performances against Australia in ODI matches. At the Women’s World Cup in 1997 it lost by nine wickets after it was bowled out for just 27 all out, while in the first meeting between the two sides it made 23 all out in reply to Australia’s 397-4.

 On Tuesday, England faces West Indies, while New Zealand takes on India in front of the live television cameras at North Sydney Oval.

ICC Women's World Cup 2009  News -Sunday, March 15, 2009 6:21:35 PM

Leg spinner stars as South Africa secures seventh place

South Africa secured seventh place at the ICC Women’s World Cup after a comprehensive nine-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the 7th/8th play-off.

Another disappointing display with the bat, a problem that has affected Sri Lanka throughout this tournament, saw it made just 72 all out, with Suwini de Alwis (24) the top scorer.

Young leg spinner, Dane van Niekerk, added to her growing reputation with a brilliant spell of 3-11, while Charlize van der Westhuizen, who is now ranked 14th in the world in the Reliance Mobile ICC ODI Women’s Rankings, also put in another great display as she took 2-16.

In reply, Trisha Chetty (41 not out) and Cri-Zelda Brits (31 not out) added an unbroken stand of 72 for the second-wicket as it cruised to victory with 21.3 overs to spare.

ICC Women's World Cup 2009  News -Saturday, March 14, 2009 11:59:39 PM

Super Six stage opens with a day of surprises

India left Australia with a mountain to climb when it beat the defending champion by 16 runs in a crucial Super Six stage match of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 at the North Sydney Oval in front of ESPN STAR Sports cameras on Saturday.

In a repeat of the 2005 World Cup final, India put up a methodical batting performance to score 234-5 in 50 overs, including 87 runs in the last 10 overs. Left-handed opener Anjum Chopra top scored with 76 and was well supported by Anagha Deshpande (45) and Mithali Raj (44).

In its run-chase, Australia made a solid start but was later tied in the knots by India bowlers who were well backed-up by smart fielding. The home team finished at 218-7 in 50 overs and 16 runs short of the target.

The victory gave India two vital points and put it on four points, while the defeat has left Australia in fourth place on two points. India’s remaining matches are against New Zealand on Tuesday and against the West Indies on Thursday, while Australia plays Pakistan on Monday and then England in its last match on Thursday.

In a battle between former champions at the Bankstown Oval, England recovered from a difficult start to beat New Zealand by 31 runs to strengthen its chances of reaching its first final in 16 years.

Captain Charlotte Edwards produced one of her most memorable performances of her career when she first top scored with a fine 57 (off 79 balls with five fours) to guide her team to a competitive 201-5 in 50 overs. She then returned outstanding bowling figures of 8.4-1-37-4 as New Zealand collapsed from 53-1 to 126-7 before being bowled out for 170 in 48.1 overs.

The victory has put England on top of the table on six points with matches against the West Indies (on Tuesday) and Australia (on Thursday) in hand. In contrast, New Zealand, along with India, is on four points with its remaining matches in the Super Six stage being against India (on Tuesday) and Pakistan (on Thursday).

Reflecting on today’s victory, Edwards said: “I asked the girls for a bit extra today and we definitely got that. We did really well to get to 200, thanks to a late order charge there was brilliant.

“We bowled really well and took all our catches. It’s been a really good day for the girls today. It’s all about taking responsibility. A lot of the girls took that on today. I’m really, really pleased.”

At the Drummoyne Oval, fast bowler Almas Akram and Armaan Khan combined to guide Pakistan to a four- wicket victory over the West Indies. It was Pakistan’s second World Cup win in nine matches with both the wins coming in this current tournament

Almas produced a brilliant bowling performance when she broke the back of the West Indies top order to finish with figures of 7-4-7-3 as the West Indies was restricted to 132-9 in 50 overs. Armaan then led Pakistan’s run-chase and returned unbeaten on a 48-ball 43 not out with three fours and two sixes as the green shirts cantered home with 13 balls to spare.

Almas, later declared player of the match, said: “I am very happy with my performance. This was my best bowling performance in my bowling career so far. Our team performance was extremely good and we never felt under pressure, even though the West Indies are more experienced.”

In the feature match of the day in front of about 1,000 spectators, India produced its best performance of the tournament to date to win its first match against the five-time world champion in nearly 25 months. It was also India’s first victory after six straight defeats and only the sixth win in 33 ODIs.

In sharp contrast, it was Australia’s fourth defeat in eight matches in the last couple of months.

Sent into bat, India made a slow but confident start when it reached 82-1 after the halfway stage with New Delhi girl Anjum Chopra playing a sheet-anchor’s role. In association with Anagha Deshpande, Chopra put on 69 runs for the first wicket from 123 balls with Dedivde dominating the stand with a fluent 62-ball 45 that included seven fours. She was one of the three Lisa Sthalekar victims who finished with figures of 3-52.

With Thirush Kamini soon returning to the dressing room to make India 92-2 in 27.4 overs, Chopra found a reliable ally in Mithali Raj who continued her excellent form by scoring freely by nicely finding the gaps.

The two batters added 76 runs for the third wicket from 78 balls before the partnership was broken when Chopra, adjudged player of the match, fell to Rene Farrell but not before she had scored 76 runs that came off 137 balls and included six fours and a six at long-leg off fast bowler Delissa Kimmince.

Raj soon followed Chopra in the dressing room after scoring a 50-ball 44 that included four fours but the two batters had already set an excellent platform for the lower order batters to launch a late assault which allowed India to collect 87 runs off the last 10 overs, including 44 off the batting PowerPlay which India took between the 43rd and 47th overs.

Amita Sharma was the batter who caused the maximum damage in the death overs when she clubbed three fours in a 22-ball 31 while Harmanpreet Kaur also went on a rampage by slamming two fours and a six in an eight-ball 19 not out. The two batters put on 33 runs for the unbroken sixth wicket stand from just 18 balls.

In its target chase, Australia made a good start when it reached 41-0 before losing three wickets for 12 runs in 25 balls to slump to 53-3. Alex Blackwell (54 off 105 balls) and Jodie Fields (43 off 59) put the home team back on track with a 68-run fourth wicket partnership.

But the departure of both the batters in the space of 18 runs ended all Australia hopes as it eventually finished at 218-7 after taking its batting PowerPlay in the last five overs of its innings in which it required 56 runs for victory with three wickets standing.

For India, Gouher Sultana bagged 2-33 while leg-spinner Reema Malhotra picked up the prized scalps of Blackwell and Fields to finish with 2-32.

In the seventh-eighth position play-off at the North Sydney Oval No 2, South Africa defeated Sri Lanka by nine wickets after Sri Lanka’s batting woes continued as it was bowled out for 75 all out in 39 overs after electing to bat first.

South Africa, in turn, achieved victory in 28.3 overs with Trisha Chetty (41 not out) and Cri-Zelda Brits (31 not out) putting on 72 runs for the unbroken second wicket partnership.

Scores in brief:


At North Sydney Oval, Sydney, India 234-5, 50 overs (Anjum Chopra 76, Anagha Deshpande 45, Mithali Raj 44, Amita Sharma 31 not out; Lisa Sthalekar 3-52)

Australia 218-7 in 50 overs (Alex Blackwell 54, Jodie Fields 43, Lauren Ebsary 39 not out, Jessica Cameron 25, Rene Farrell 20 not out; Gouher Sultana 2-33, Reema Malhotra 2-32)

India won by 16 runs

At Bankstown Oval, Sydney, England 201-5, 50 overs (Charlotte Edwards 57, Beth Morgan 37 not out, Caroline Atkins 36, Jenny Gunn 22 not out; Sophie Devine 2-45)

New Zealand 170 all out, 48.4 overs (Haidee Tiffen 53, Aimee Mason 23, Sarah Tsukiwaga 23 not out; Charlotte Edwards 4-37, Laura Marsh 2-21, Katherine Brunt 2-25)

England won by 31 runs


At Drummoyne, Oval, Sydney, West Indies 132-9, 50 overs (Stafanie Taylor 55, Deandra Dottin 23; Almas Akram 3-7, Urooj Mumtaz 2-31)

Pakistan 134-6, 47.5 overs (Armaan Khan 43 not out, Urooj Mumtaz 22)

Pakistan won by four wickets

At North Sydney Oval No 2 (7th/8th position play-off), Sydney, Sri Lanka 75 all out in 39 overs (Suwini de Alwis 24; Dane van Niekerk 3-11, Charlize van der Westhuizen 2-16)

South Africa 76-1, 28.3 overs (Trisha Chetty 41 not out, Cri-Zelda Brits 31 not out)

South Africa won by nine wickets


Fixture for Monday, 16 March

Australia v Pakistan, Bankstown Oval, Sydney

Forthcoming matches:


17 Mar
– India v New Zealand, North Sydney Oval 

17 Mar
– England v West Indies, Drummoyne


19 Mar
– Australia v England, North Sydney Oval 

19 Mar 
– India v West Indies, Bankstown


19 Mar
– New Zealand v Pakistan, Drummoyne 

21 Mar 
– third-fourth position play-off, Bankstown


21 Mar 
– fifth-sixth position play-off, Drummoyne 

22 Mar
– Final, North Sydney Oval

ICC Women's World Cup 2009  News- Saturday, March 14, 2009 4:41:54 AM

India pull off shock of the tournament as hosts crash to another defeat

India pulled off a stunning 16-run victory over Australia to keep its dream of a first ICC Women’s World Cup title alive thanks to a world-class innings from Anjum Chopra.

But the defeat leaves Karen Rolton’s side in all kinds of trouble, having already lost to New Zealand at this event, and it now knows it must win its next two Super Six matches to have any chance of making the final.

A solid opening partnership of 69 between Anagha Deshpande (45) and Anjum Chopra (76) helped establish a solid platform for India to build an impressive total of 234-5.

Mithali Raj (44) continued her excellent form at this event, scoring at almost a run-a-ball, while Amita Sharma smashed 31 not out off 22 balls and Harmanpreet Kaur scored 19 not out off eight balls, including one six.

Lisa Sthalekar took three wickets with her spin bowling, although she was slightly expensive as she conceded 3-52.

In reply, Jhulan Goswami got the first wicket of Shelley Nitschke (19) early on, before Rolton (8) and Sthalekar (0) followed quickly after to leave Australia on 53-3.

Alex Blackwell (54) and Jodie Fields (43) then put on an excellent stand for the fourth wicket, but as the hosts fell behind the run-rate, wickets quickly fell.

Some brave late-order hitting from Lauren Ebsary and Rene Farrell got Australia close to its target, but in the end it fell 16 runs short.

ICC Women's World Cup 2009  News- Saturday, March 14, 2009 3:01:48 AM