Women's World Cup 2017

Woah!!!! Who would have thought it when South Africa posted 218/6? It seemed far too few, but this is a World Cup semi-final. Mark Robinson wanted his team to be tested and tested they were, as the Saffers took the game down to the last over, and then to the last three balls. England still needed two runs and Anya Shrubsole had just walked to the crease after Laura Marsh had been bowled by Shabnim Ismail. Ismail had a packed offside field but no-one out. Ismail bowled full and wide and Shrubsole flayed the ball to the cover boundary, immediately lofting her bat in triumph....and relief! In truth it should never have got to that stage, after England had got to 52/1 after the first 10 over powerplay, having lost Lauren Winfield (20). South Africa will be kicking themselves. They had helped England along the way with several wides, many mishandled by keeper Chetty. In total they gave away 17 runs in wides, and gave England an extra 13 balls (10 wide deliveries and three no balls). ...

It very nearly was the perfect game. Like coal spontaneously igniting when the conditions are just right, India rekindled their fading World Cup campaign with all three departments coming together. They beat New Zealand by 186 runs, and reached the semi-final of a ICC global event for the first time since 2010. It began with the flip of the coin. In England, they say ‘look up and then look down’. But even that advice left one confused. Above, it was overcast, but the pitch itself was hard and reflected runs. Fortunately, Kiwi skipper Suzie Bates opted to field. And it seemed a good decision when both Indian openers were sent back with just 21 on the board. But that was about all that went wrong for India. Harmanpreet Kaur, batting at No. 4, had faced an average of just 30 balls per game in the six matches before this. So she took her time early, facing 28 dot balls for three runs against fast bowler Hannah Rowe. But with the patience of a big cat stalking its prey, she waited for ...

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...

Nat Sciver not only scored her second hundred of the tournament and took England into the semi-finals, but she created her own shot - the Natmeg - clipping a full ball on her leg stump through her own legs - not once, but twice!! It epitomised the confidence with which she, and indeed the whole of the England team, are batting at the present time. England ended up comfortable winners, by 75 runs, against a workmanlike Kiwi team, thanks to a partnership of 170 between Tammy Beaumont (93) and Sciver (129), which took them to a formidable 284/9 in their 50 overs. Having won the toss Heather Knight had no hesitation in batting, but when Lauren Winfield, Sarah Taylor and she herself, were all out with the score on 52 in the 14th over, it looked like England may struggle to set a total that would put fear into the Kiwi batsmen. But that was not to count for Beaumont and Sciver. Beaumont had made a cautious start, but buoyed by the assurance of Sciver she began to find the gaps in the...

South Africa secured their place in the semi-finals today with a comprehensive 8 wicket win over Sri Lanka, chasing down the required runs in 23.1 overs having bowled them out for 101. Dane van Niekerk once again starred with the ball, finishing with 4-24 and, with 13 scalps so far, retaining her position as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker. Speaking about her success after the game, she said that playing in last year’s inaugural Kia Super League had been a big help in getting her accustomed to English conditions: “Very early [in KSL] I realised I don’t get a lot of turn on these wickets.” “I don’t think the pitches are friendly, but you have to find a way to bowl on these wickets, because they’re not turning wickets. I think I just found my lines and my lengths. I’m not hitting them consistently, but when I hit them it is working.” South Africa’s run chase began eventfully, with Lizelle Lee caught behind for a duck in the first over and Trisha Chetty then bow...

Despite the wind and rain West Indies finally found some of their Caribbean swagger as they posted their highest score of the tournament against Pakistan - 285/4 - with Deandra Dottin hitting her first ODI century. West Indies lost Hayley Matthews early again, and when Kycia Knight became Asmavia Iqbal's second victim with only 26 runs on the board it looked as though the Windies may be heading for another disaster. But skipper Stafanie Taylor (90) added 87 with the cautious Chedean Nation (35) in 20 overs, which laid the platform for Deandra Dottin (104). Dottin watched as Taylor went to her 50 off 63 balls, and then relatively calmly went on to reach her own 50 off 52 balls, but from there she cut loose. She hit her next 50 runs off just 22 balls, including two 6s and seven 4s. Along the way she lost Taylor, caught and bowled by Baig, but it mattered little as Aguilleira simply came in to watch Dottin at closer quarters. The pair added 81 in the last 10 overs, with Aguilleira c...

In front of a roaring crowd of over 4,000, England battled to a vital win to leap to the top of the table, with one foot now in the semi-finals. England won the toss on a bright morning in Bristol and chose to bat, making one change to their team - with Fran Wilson nursing a minor ankle injury, they chose to sacrifice a batsman and bring in Jenny Gunn; whilst Australia recalled strike bowler Megan Schutt and captain Meg Lanning, both of whom had been rested for last week's victory against Pakistan. Lauren Winfield went early - after swinging and missing once in Jess Jonassen's first over, she played across the line to Megan Schutt and was caught at midwicket. This brought Sarah Taylor to the crease, who looked to continue mining the rich vein of form she has found in this World Cup with a pair of delicious cover-drivers for 4 off Jonassen. That saw-off the left-armer temporarily, as Meg Lanning brought Ellyse Perry on for an over; but she fared little better - Taylor hitt...

West Indies finally picked up their first win of this WWC17 tournament beating a rather subdued Sri Lankan side by 47 runs, as they failed to chase down West Indies first innings score of 229/9. The Windies innings was built around some solid contributions, but without any West Indian going on to score their team's first 50 of the tournament. The only batsman to miss out was captain Stafanie Taylor, who was caught behind tentatively prodding forward to Weerakkody for just 4. She has now managed only 89 runs in five innings in this tournament. Hayley Matthews had looked good at the top of the order, but after timing some crisp shots to the legside she seemed to lose her head slightly and tried to hit the cover off the ball, without any great success. She eventually perished lbw for 26. From there on every time Windies looked to be moving on they lost a wicket. Nation went at 75, then Kycia Knight at 102 and then, significantly, Deandra Dottin at 124 in the 28th over. Dottin had ...

Look through the social media timelines of some of the South African players. Certain hashtags appear frequently. #CompeteForChrist, #AlwaysRising, #blessed. And yes, #grateful. But gratitude is only genuine when expressed through deeds. Saturday’s encounter was about South Africa’s batswomen — in particular opener Lizelle Lee — expressing their thanks in deeds, as India rolled out the red carpet for them on a batting track. The pitch at Leicester looked flat and a little dry, hinting that it just might take some turn later; perfect for batting first and then unleashing the spinners. But Mithali Raj chose to field first after calling correctly, citing India’s superior record against South Africa while chasing, and the trends at the ground (which on closer examination, aren’t that strong). Proteas skipper Dane van Niekerk said that she would have batted had she won the toss. So bat they did. And Lee made sure to say thank you. Lee’s scores against India this year are 1, 37, 1 ...

Sophie Devine hit a record-breaking 9 sixes - the most ever for a women's ODI - in an innings of 93 off 41 balls, as New Zealand put Pakistan to the sword by 8 wickets in Taunton. Devine's massive innings was an exhibition of range-hitting that wouldn't have looked out of place on a golf course. Coming in at 3, after Pakistan bagged the early wicket of Rachel Priest, Devine was quickly into her stride with a pair of huge sixes over mid on, one of which dented the advertising hoarding on the second tier of the pavilion stand where the New Zealand families were sitting. Devine hit 7 fours along with her 9 sixes to reach her 93, before finally holing-out with just 2 more runs required - Amy Satterthwaite finishing the job for the White Ferns with the very next ball, leaving the field 38*. Earlier in the day, Pakistan had opted to bat, having won the toss on a good looking wicket, with Suzie Bates admitting she would have made the same choice. Openers Ayesha Zafar and N...

It was another poor display with the bat from West Indies today at Taunton, as New Zealand bowled them out for 150 in the space of 43 overs, before racing to an 8 wicket victory. West Indies had made two changes to their squad, no doubt in an effort to shore up their batting after their trouncing at the hands of South Africa. Kycia Knight, however, fared no better than her predecessor Reneice Boyce at the top of the order, falling caught behind to Lea Tahuhu in the third over of the day for an 8-ball duck. Tahuhu’s next over was equally effective, as Hayley Matthews - who had begun the day by creaming two lovely boundaries through the leg side - was caught and bowled having misjudged Tahuhu’s bouncer. New Zealand’s spin duo Leigh Kasperek and Amelia Kerr then came into their own, bowling in tandem as between them they took 3 wickets in the space of 8 balls, leaving West Indies reeling at 53-5 in the 18th over. Kasperek’s third and final wicket of the day was rather mor...

It was a runs-fest today at Bristol if ever there was one. Between them the two sides racked up an aggregate of 678, making it the highest scoring women’s ODI in history, but it was ultimately England who ran out the winners by 68 runs. For South Africa, bowling first at the request of Heather Knight, memories of knocking over West Indies for 48 faded quickly, as Tammy Beaumont fearlessly took on the pace quartet of Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka and Moseline Daniels. Ismail ultimately finished with figures of 1-89 across her 10 overs - the most runs ever conceded by a bowler in a Women’s World Cup match. Beaumont may have denied being out of form - “I don’t believe in form”, she said at the post-match press conference - but after scores of 14, 14 and 12 so far in this World Cup, it was her moment to shine, and shine she did. Her 148 was without doubt her best innings in an England shirt, made as it was against one of the best attacks in world cricket. Mean...

After opting to bat first, Mithali Raj said she was aiming for a total of more than 250. Sport rarely goes to script though. The Indian batting innings was like driving inside an Inidan residential society; smooth road, speed breaker, repeat. One is never comfortable. India lost wicket in clumps between partnerships. After the openers fell early, Raj and Deepti put on 118, both scoring fifties. Then both were dismissed, along with Goswami, before Veda Krishnamurthy and Harmanpreet Kaur put up 50 for the sixth-wicket. The effort took them to 232 for 8, which eventually proved enough to beat Sri Lanka by 16 runs. But the match was decided pretty early in the second innings, thanks to a strangling spell from Poonam Yadav, and some advice from Ekta Bisht. Bisht has played 44 ODIs, and has plenty of experience in England. She made her debut here, picked up her first Player of the Match (in a T20) here, and has played more than 20 percent of her ODIs in England as part of three tourin...

Pakistan failed to press home an early advantage, allowing Australia to put one foot in the semi-finals with a strolling victory at Leicester. Without captain Meg Lanning, resting a recurring shoulder injury, Rachel Haynes stepped in to skipper the side, winning the toss and opting to bat on a green track at Grace Road. But it was Pakistan who made the early going, reducing the Southern Stars to 7-2 with the early wickets of Beth Mooney for a duck, and an uncomfortable looking Nicole Bolton, LWB for 3 off 20 balls. Haynes and Ellyse Perry began a slow, patient rebuild, which saw them make just 18 runs, without a single boundary, off the first 10 powerplay overs, as Perry in particular responded to the Pakistani tactic of bowling way outside her off stump by simply watching the ball pass harmlessly through to the keeper, as if she were playing a Test. Haynes finally found the boundary for the first time in the 11th over; but Perry waited until 15th to hit her first 4. It wasn...

👎 Lanning out of Pakistan match with shoulder injury -  link 👎 Selman and Connell are replaced in Windies squad -  link 👎 Pakistan lose Maroof -  link 👎 Pakistan are sanctioned for slow over rate v England -  link 👍 Sciver & Knight hit centuries as England beat Pakistan - link 👍 Australia brush West Indies aside - link 👍 South Africa squeak past Pakistan -  link 👎 England opener Winfield ruled out of opening match with hand injury -  link 👍 Windies blown away & Aussies win comfortably again as warm-ups end -  link 👍 Big win for Aussies & unexpected win for Pakistan in warm-ups -  link 👍 Sky Sports to show all 31 WWC17 games live -  link 👍 England & New Zealand win opening warm-up games -  link 👍 Official warm-up games start today -  link 👍 West Indies land in the UK -  link 👍 England's Sarah Taylor interviewed ahead of WWC17 - external link 👍 Dane van Niekerk fit to lead the Protea...

England edged a little further up the Women's World Cup standings with a very comfortable and professional victory over Sri Lanka at a sun-drenched Taunton, in front of the best crowd (around 3,500) of the tournament to date. Taunton really is the ideal setting for women's cricket. It is the ambiance and the friendliness of the ground that make it work, which means the punters enjoy their day and they keep coming back. It helped, of course, that England were playing, and it helped even more that they are playing confident winning cricket. After the game skipper Heather Knight said that she was initially slightly disappointed to have let Sri Lanka put 204/8 on the board, after they had won the toss and decided to bat. Through some disciplined bowling and some decent catching from Sarah Taylor and Fran Wilson, England had reduced Sri Lanka to 145/7, but 8th wicket pair Ranasinghe (26) and Kanchana (34*) frustrated England for another 10 overs and added another 45 runs to the ...