AUSSIES MAKE SHORT WORK OF WINDIES

The 1^st semifinal of the 10^th Womens World Cup had one time champion WI pitted against 6 times champions AUS. AUS have made it to the semis of all 10 editions of the World Cup. They have gone the full distance 3 times. ENG ousted them in 2009, WI derailed them in 2016 and SA did the honours in 2024. It is by some weird chance that AUS has qualified along with these three teams for the semi finals. One among these three has to repeat history. Else AUS looks certain for a WC win. While WI has been shaky in reaching semi finals, AUS have steamrolled all opposing teams. WI needed some miracles. AUS won the toss and chose to bowl. 

WEST INDIES INNINGS

WICKETLESS AND LESS RUNS
Qiana and Hayley opened the batting for the Windies while Lucy opened the bowling for Windies. If the first ball was any indication, Hayley and Windies started on the best positive note – A glorious cover drive by Hayley that raced its way to boundary. . Hayley’s boundary of Kim in the next over was the exact opposite - a thick outside edge that bisected the slip and short third. Sophie came in first change and Hayley took first charge in the battle of skippers. Hayley cut Sophie’s first ball for an offside boundary and swept the second ball for a legside boundary. Just as we thought that WI were seizing the early advantage, Kim & Lucy just gave 3 runs combined in the 4^th & 5 overs. Hayley opened the final over with a nice steer for boundary. In the last ball of the over, Hayley offered a half chance to Lucy which wasn’t taken. Windies were 35/0 after powerplay and were scoring at less than run an over. That they didn’t lose wickets didn’t negate that they scored less runs. Hayley was doing most of the scoring while Qiana looked struggling.

SPIN TREBLE AND ALL TROUBLE
Ash Gardner was brought in immediately after power play and tightened the screws conceding just 2 runs. Annabel came in for the 8^th over as the 5^th bowler. The highlight of the over was Qiana finally finding a boundary in her 20^th ball. She smashed the 5^th ball over long on for a sixer in a 10 run over. Georgia has a knack of breaking through and she delivered first ball. Entrusted the ninth over, she bowled a classic leg spinner and Hayley trying to steer it past short fine leg missed it completely. Shemaine replaced her skipper and played two good shots – a sweep and a cut that fetched her boundaries. But the other three balls were dot balls. Sophie brought herself in for the 9^th over and once again AUS struck in the first ball. Qiana slog swept straight to the hands of Ash Gardner at deep mid wicket. At 58/2 after 10 overs, WI looked in trouble. The hope was they had experienced campaigners Shemaine Campbell and Stafanie Taylor at the crease. But that was short lived as their other spinner Ash Gardner upped the ante in the 11^th over. Unlike her spin counterparts, she didn’t strike first ball. But she struck twice. In the second ball, she had Stafanie nudge a ball to Kim at mid wicket. It was a very soft dismissal and if it is the last innings of Stafanie, the adage “There are no glorious endings” holds more than good. In the 5^th ball, Ash had Jahzara hit hard towards cover and the ball went straight to Sophie at cover. Sophie returned Ash’s favour of Qiana with that of Jahzara. Three overs of spin by three different spinners seemed to have spun the match in favour of AUS. From 47/0 in 8 to 59/4 in 11, the spin treble had put WI in a terrible position. Two more overs of spin (one from Georgia and next from Ash) put them to 66/4. Chinelle brought a badly needed boundary in the first ball of 14^th over bowled by Annabel when she fiercely cut her over backward point for a quick boundary. Even then they could score only 3 more from the over. Sophie took the 14^th over and took another wicket on the first ball of the over. Chinelle had to go for her shots and tried to pull Sophie over leg side boundary. But the ball found Annabel at the long on. Jannillea joined Shemaine. Shemaine began Georgia’s over with an inside out shot for a boundary. But Georgia showed her variations and when Shemaine tried to repeat the shot in the third ball, she could only hit it to Ellyse at mid off. Deandra (who was not well from start of play) had to endure her pain and take crease. At 84/6 after 16 overs, WI innings looked painful.

INJURED BOSS AVERTS INJURIOUS LOSS
Deandra and Jannillea didn’t allow a dot ball from Ash and ran 7 from the over. Kim and pace was brought in. Deandra bossed a cut of short ball with a weak hand to start the over with a boundary. Jannillea sliced a wide ball fine for a boundary in the 5^th ball. The 13 run over finally took WI past 100. Sophie’s penultimate over was all about singles and twos before Deandra cleverly played a late sweep of the last ball over square leg for a boundary. Annabel was opted to close the innings. Deandra played two lovely shots on the off side in the 2^nd & 3^rd balls. Jannillea tried to go over the leg side in the last ball. But she ended up finding an edge and then finding a brilliant Beth dive to  perfection for the catch. WI ended at 126/7. 126/7 might look ordinary but it felt like gold from 84/6 four overs ago. Despite her injury, World Boss Deandra put up a brave show. The momentum was with the AUS and a magic spell by WI didn’t seem coming today.

 
AUSTRALIA INNINGS

BETH GETTING BETTER
Georgia Voll and Beth Mooney, the fire and ice combo of Aussies took crease. Chinelle Henry opened for the Windies. She began with three dots and a wide was the first run for AUS. In the 4^th ball, a gorgeous pull by Georgia landed straight on the bowling rope for a boundary. Hayley brought herself from the other end and Beth produced a lovely pull on the backfoot for a boundary in the 2^nd ball. She could have got one more in the next ball but Afy fielded well and cut a single. Georgia helped herself to a couple of boundaries in the third over. She scooped the 3^rd ball over short fine leg and tonked the 5^th ball over mid on. Chinelle avenged in the last ball when her off cutter beat Georgia for pace and shattered her stumps. Karishma replaced her skipper and Beth played two lovely shots effortlessly -  a drive and a loft over cover and needless to say, the both fetched her fours. AUS were going at 10 per over and Hayley came in from the other end. In her 4^th ball, Phoebe missed a reverse sweep and exposed her pads. The umpire suspected bat and refused the appeal. On DRS, it was established that she was plumb in front. Ellyse who is in such good touch joined the crease. Jahzara was brought in to close the power play but Beth closed all hopes of WI fight back. Beth cut her first ball for a boundary. She pulled her over mid on in the second ball for another boundary. A dot ball later, she went wide and steered the ball for her 3^rd boundary of the over. She ran the 5^th ball for two after turning it away from square leg. A delicate late cut in the last ball fetched her 4^th boundary of the over. The 18 run over put AUS at 63/2 after 6. Beth was in her “ice in veins” mode and WI were even more precariously placed than on thin ice.

EASY PICKINGS
Aaliyah, the most impressive of WI bowlers, impressed yet again giving just a solitary run in the 7^th over. At the end of the over, Ellyse retired hurt with a mild injury. Afy was introduced in the 8^th over and AUS ran 9 in ones and twos. After 2 quiet overs, Ash demonstrated her good form when she slapped Aaliyah’s 3^rd ball strongly for a powerful boundary past backward point. Ash went a step ahead in the next over. She lifted one straight past the bowler for a sixer in the 2^nd ball. She lofted the next one over covers for a boundary. AUS were already 97/2 at half way mark. Beth & Ash looked in great touch and even WI seemingly accepted it was just a matter of time. Hayley brought herself for the 11^th over and Beth reached her fifty in the 2^nd ball. She played a lovely square drive for a boundary in the 4^th ball which brought the 100 for Aussies. Karishma kept the 12^th over to 5 singles and a two. Aaliyah was entrusted the 13^th over. Ash lofted one over mid off in the 4^th ball. In another instance of bowler hitting the stumps at non strikers end on her bowling action, AUS earned a no ball in the 5^th ball. Ash flicked the last ball for another boundary which ensured that AUS were through for their 8^th T20 WC Final.  AUS scored 127 with 8 wickets and 7 overs to spare. Ashleigh Gardner was awarded player of the match for her all round performance. 

In Oval, things may not have come a full circle for AUS from their 2016 loss. But after 10 years, AUS look more of winning their 7^th trophy rather than losing their 2^nd final.  With such talent, depth and confidence, they are the favourites. A confident home side ENG or the unpredictable SA and the law of averages are their competitors.