England’s unbeaten run on the Cricket World Cup got here to an finish of their sixth recreation with a six-wicket defeat to favourites Australia amid struggles batting in opposition to 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 staff had been slowed down by spinners Alana King (1-20) and Gardner (2-39) within the center overs.
Australia, lacking injured captain Alyssa Healy (calf), tumbled to 24-3 in reply as seamer Lauren Bell nailed Phoebe Litchfield’s off stump with a magnificence within the first over earlier than spinner Linsey Smith dismissed Georgia Voll (6) and Ellyse Perry (13), and that grew to become 68-4 when Beth Mooney (20) pulled Sophie Ecclestone to midwicket.
Nevertheless, Annabel Sutherland (98no off 112), who had earlier bagged 3-60 along with her seam bowling, led the rebuild, placing on an unbroken 180 for the fifth wicket with Gardner (104no off 73).
The latter adopted her century in opposition to New Zealand on this floor on October 1 with one other three-figure knock, one through which she pumped Capsey for 3 successive fours and sealed victory with a boundary off Ecclestone over the off-side.
England noticed their whole overhauled by Australia with 57 balls to spare because the defending champions beat their fellow confirmed semi-finalists to remain unbeaten and transfer again prime of the desk, forward of also-qualified South Africa.
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England captain Sciver-Brunt took a improbable catch at midwicket to take away Beth Mooney for 20
Australia meet South Africa of their last recreation of the league section in Indore on Saturday (10.30am UK) earlier than England play New Zealand – one among three groups nonetheless within the operating for the final semi-final spot, alongside India and Sri Lanka – in Vizag on Sunday (5.30am UK), forward of subsequent week’s semi-finals.
Nat Sciver-Brunt’s group are a lot improved from the one pumped 16-0 throughout the codecs by Australia in final winter’s Ashes – Sunday’s tight win over India in Indore was proof of that – however, on this proof, there may be nonetheless a notable gulf between the edges and it’s exhausting to see any nation denying Australia an eighth World Cup title.
How Wednesday’s recreation in Indore unfolded
England feasted on some wayward bowling from new-ball seamers Megan Schutt and Kim Garth to go fifty within the eighth over after being inserted by stand-in Australia captain Tahlia McGrath.
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Check out the perfect pictures from Tammy Beaumont’s innings of 78 from 105 balls in opposition to Australia in Indore
Sutherland broke Beaumont and Amy Jones’ opening stand when she bowled the latter for 18, earlier than Heather Knight (20) and skipper Sciver-Brunt (20) fell to the spin of Sophie Molineux (2-52) and King respectively.
England mustered solely 43 runs throughout overs 21-34 – 12 of these 14 overs have been bowled by spinners King and Gardner – and it was no shock the strain informed on Beaumont and she or he holed out off seamer Sutherland at long-on within the thirty fifth.
Beaumont had earlier accomplished a 59-ball fifty – the twenty fourth ODI half-century of the 34-year-old’s distinguished profession and her first in India on the 14th try.
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Georgia Voll took an excellent juggling catch on the boundary to dismiss England opener Beaumont at Holkar Stadium
A fear for England going ahead would be the continued struggles of middle-order batters Sophia Dunkley and Emma Lamb, who’re averaging 13.20 and seven.20 respectively within the No 5 and No 6 spots after limp returns in opposition to Australia.
Dunkley was stumped off Gardner for a torturous 48-ball 22, whereas Lamb was cleaned up by a slower supply from Sutherland, that means a recall for the skilled Danni Wyatt-Hodge could now be in England’s considering.
Capsey had additionally been wanting runs however she cracked 5 boundaries throughout her half-century stand with Dean to provide England a complete to defend – and the four-time World Cup champions have been bouncing after a wicket-laden begin to the Australia chase.
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Lauren Bell bowled Australia opener with a peach of a supply early within the run chase
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Watch how England spinner Linsey Smith accounted for Voll and Ellyse Perry in Indore
After Bell’s magnificence bowled Litchfield, Smith castled Healy’s alternative on the prime of the order, Voll, on the slog-sweep after which pouched Perry off her personal bowling, whereas Sciver-Brunt’s cracking catch accounted for Mooney on the leg-side.
That was nearly as good because it bought for England, with the closest they got here to a different breakthrough when Knight grassed Sutherland over her shoulder on 95 in what turned out to be the ultimate over of the sport.
England’s World Cup outcomes and fixtures
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