Women's World Cup 2017

On a gloomy day at Leicester, the last group-stage match of the World Cup went right down to the wire, with Pakistan eventually bowled out for 206, just 16 runs short of their target. Chasing 222, and with 22 runs needed from the last 5 overs, Pakistan’s Asmavia Iqbal fought tooth and nail to get her side over the line, but was eventually left stranded on 38* after number 11 Sadia Yousaf was bowled by Sri Lankan captain Inoka Ranaweera in the 47th over. For Sri Lanka, the star was Dilani Manodara, who hit 84 - her best performance in international cricket - and finished as the day’s top scorer. Pakistan had started their run chase at a rather sedate pace, hitting just 33 runs off the 10 over powerplay, including playing out two maidens. They also lost early wickets, with Chandima Gunaratne (Player of the Match for her 4-41) removing both openers - Nahida Khan bowled trying to cut, and Ayesha Zafar getting a leading edge to Chamari Atapattu at cover. But a thrilling...

West Indies won the toss and put an unchanged England team in to bat, on a drizzly morning in Bristol. In gloomy conditions, with the floodlights on and the ball swinging like a 1930s music hall, England openers Lauren Winfield and Tammy Beaumont made a tentative start, with Winfield surviving three shouts (two for LBW and one for caught behind) in Deandra Dottin’s opening over. The first boundaries didn’t come up until the sixth over - Tammy Beamont clubbing Qianna Joseph over midwicket for one 4, and then drilling her through the covers for another. England got into their stride a bit more thereafter, though they had West Indian wicket keeper Merissa Aguilleira to thank for some sloppy work behind the stumps adding 17 runs in wides during the powerplay. Winfield - the one England batsman who hasn’t really done anything this tournament - holed-out off to Joseph for 11 off 24 balls, trying to play a big shot that just wasn’t big enough and found Hayley Matthews on the boundary. ...

Australia brought their A game to Taunton to beat South Africa by a comfortable margin of 56 runs, despite once again being without their skipper, Meg Lanning. As before Rachel Haynes stepped up to take the captaincy role, and even batted at three and brought herself on to bowl. The first thing she did was win the toss and she mysteriously decided to bat, but as Beth Mooney (53) and Nicole Bolton (79) compiled a chanceless opening partnership of 114 and the rain blew over the Quantock Hills in the distance, it didn't seem like such a bad idea after all. There were few demons in the pitch and the Proteas attack lacked any real threat. When Mooney succumbed to a straight ball from Khaka in the 22nd over you could see the frustration on her face. A wasted opportunity. It was a look that was to be mirrored by several more Aussies. Haynes came and went, and then Bolton slapped a horrible full toss from Sune Luus to mid-off. Villani followed next ball helping another full toss arou...

After starting the World Cup with four wins in a row, India slumped to their second consecutive loss on Wednesday. At Bristol, they were defeated by a dominant Australia, despite a fighting century from Punam Raut, and a 69-run knock from Mithali Raj. The skipper also became the highest ODI run-scorer during that knock, and the first woman to score more than 6,000 ODI runs. But those marks meant little, as India now face a virtual quarter-final against New Zealand on Saturday at Derby. Some of the key points in the game: Different approaches from captains The day before the game, Australian skipper Meg Lanning identified Smriti Mandhana as a prize wicket. Mandhana came into this game with three single digit scores behind her. So Lanning made sure to put her under some more pressure by opening the bowling with off-spinner Ash Gardener, who had never bowled at the top before. Lanning also had three catchers, two in Mandhana’s sights – there was a short point to block her favou...