England women v Australia women – ICC Women’s World T20 Semi Final, Ferozeshah Kotla, Delhi
England women won the toss and elected to bowl
Australia women – 132-6 (Meg Lanning 55, Natalie Sciver 2-22)
20 overs
England women – 127-7 (Tammy Beaumont 32, Charlotte Edwards 31, Megan Schutt 2-15)
20 overs
Australia women won by 5 runs
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England missed the chance to end Australia’s ICC Women’s World Twenty20 dominance after losing by five runs in their semi-final in Delhi.
Australia’s hopes of a fourth consecutive title were under threat when Charlotte Edwards and Tammy Beaumont began England’s pursuit of 133 with an opening stand of 67 in 10 overs.
But, like they did in chases against India and West Indies, England suffered a collapse and lost seven wickets for 50 runs to be restricted to 127 for seven.
Meg Lanning produced the innings of the match, hitting 55 from 50 balls, to ensure Australia posted 132 for six after they struggled to build on an explosive start.
Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole were thrown off their lengths early by an attacking opening stand of 41 from 33 balls from Alyssa Healy and Elyse Villani which contained nine boundaries.
But pace off the ball did the trick for England and pegged Australia back, Natalie Sciver striking with her third delivery after she was accidently floored by a Brunt throw from mid-off that hit her on the temple.
She got back on her feet to trap Villani lbw and, in the next over, Healy went in identical fashion for 25 off 15 balls attempting to reverse sweep Laura Marsh, who took 1-18 from four economical overs.
England then put the squeeze on Australia, conceding just four fours in the final 10 overs, all to Lanning who was strong on the off side.
Sciver ended Lanning, who survived a run-out chance on 20, and Ellyse Perry’s stand of 36 when the latter hit the first ball of her new spell to midwicket.
Lanning was dropped by Sarah Taylor on 45, a tough opportunity from a thick edge, and reached her half-century from 45 balls.
England finished strongly in the field as Sciver and Shrubsole ran out Alex Blackwell and Lanning, from deep midwicket and long-off respectively, and then started positively with the bat.
Edwards and Beaumont, who heaved the first six of the match over fine-leg, took 40 from the six-over powerplay and looked comfortable until the former hit Kristen Beams to extra cover for 31.
Taylor added 22 with Beaumont and drove a six to leave 45 runs needed from 42 balls, but a cluster of wickets saw the rate rise and England’s hopes fade.
Beaumont, with 32, and Heather Knight holed out, either side of Perry bowling Sciver, and Taylor looped up a catch to Healy behind the stumps from an attempted reverse scoop off Rene Farrell.
That left England up against it and, despite Brunt breathing new life into the chase by hitting a six and four, 21 runs from the final 12 balls proved beyond them.
Report courtesy of the ECB
