England’s unbeaten run at the Women’s Cricket World Cup came to an end in their sixth game with a six-wicket defeat to title favourites Australia amid struggles batting against spin and Ash Gardner’s century.
England posted 244-9, with Tammy Beaumont (78 off 105) top-scoring and Alice Capsey (38) and Charlie Dean (26) sharing a breezy seventh-wicket stand of 61 after the team had been bogged down by Alana King (1-20) and Ash Gardner (2-39 in the middle overs.
An Australia side, missing injured captain Alyssa Healy (calf), tumbled to 24-3 in reply as fast bowler Lauren Bell nailed Phoebe Litchfield’s off stump with a beauty in the first over before spinner Linsey Smith dismissed Georgia Voll (6) and Ellyse Perry (13), and that became 68-4 when Beth Mooney pulled Sophie Ecclestone to midwicket.
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Watch how England spinner Linsey Smith accounted for Voll and Ellyse Perry in Indore
However, Annabel Sutherland (98no off 112), who had earlier bagged 3-60 with her seam bowling, led the rebuild, putting on an unbroken 180 for the fifth wicket with Gardner (104no off 73).
The latter followed her century against New Zealand on this ground on October 1 with another three-figure knock, one in which she pumped Capsey for three successive fours and sealed victory with a boundary off Ecclestone.
England saw their total overhauled by Australia with 57 to spare as the defending champions beat their fellow confirmed semi-finalists to stay unbeaten and move back top of the table, ahead of South Africa.
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England captain Sciver-Brunt took a fantastic catch at midwicket to remove Beth Mooney for 20
Australia meet South Africa in their final game of the league phase in Indore on Saturday (10.30am UK) before England play New Zealand – one of three teams still in the running for the last semi-final spot, alongside India and Sri Lanka – in Vizag on Sunday (5.30am UK), ahead of next week’s semi-finals.
Nat Sciver-Brunt’s team are much improved from the one pumped 16-0 across the formats by Australia in last winter’s Ashes – Sunday’s tight win over India in Indore was evidence of that – but, on this evidence, there is still a notable gulf between the sides and it is hard to see any nation denying Australia an eighth World Cup title.
More to follow.
England’s World Cup results and fixtures
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