The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 is only 50 days away, with 16 international teams featuring the world’s best cricketers getting set for the global showpiece event in Australia that begins on 16 October. From one side of the country to the other, the T20 World Cup took to the skies in Perth and Sydney today as fans countdown to ‘The Big Time’.

In Sydney, Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja was at Sydney Harbour as the flags of all 16 competing teams were flown over the city and its world-famous landmarks, Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.

In Western Australia, The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Trophy Tour, driven by Nissan, arrived in Perth with Shane Watson bringing the trophy to local fans via helicopter from iconic tourist destination, Rottnest Island. Fan groups from all six teams that are guaranteed to feature across five matches in Perth marched to Perth Stadium and had the chance to get a live glimpse of the prized silverware.

A countdown clock and mural was also unveiled in Geelong, where the opening match of the T20 World Cup will be played between 2014 champions Sri Lanka and Namibia on 16 October. The mural was painted by a local Sri Lankan artist and will remain at Kardinia Park Stadium following the completion of the T20 World Cup.

Earlier this week, additional standing room tickets were sold out to the highly anticipated India v Pakistan match at the MCG on Sunday 23 October.

Over 800,000 fans are anticipated to attend the T20 World Cup with childrens tickets to all Super 12 matches available for just $5, while adult tickets start from $20.

ICC Head of Events, Chris Tetley said: “There is a real sense of excitement and anticipation now we are just 50 days away from the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022. Today’s activities across Australia to celebrate the milestone highlight this is an event not to be missed. With all 16 teams confirmed and the finishing touches to event preparation being undertaken, I can’t wait for the cricket to start and to see who will claim the ultimate prize in T20 cricket.

‘There are still some tickets available for certain match days so anyone that wants to witness the world’s best T20 cricketers in a World Cup should check the ICC website to make sure they don’t miss out.”

Australian cricketer and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Multicultural Ambassador Usman Khawaja said;  

“The T20 World Cup is a massive global event and the fact that 16 teams will all be playing across Australia at the same time is very special. What I’m excited to see as being a part of the T20 Champions programme is the fans of all the different teams coming to the stadiums to celebrate their heritage and passion for cricket.

“While Australia are the hosts of the event, this will be a home World Cup for people of all different backgrounds no matter where they are from. We’ve seen tickets sell out for the India and Pakistan match with over 80% of those fans living here in Australia. This shows how big the opportunity is for cricket to engage fans of all different backgrounds to be part of the Australian Cricket family.”

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Local Organising Committee CEO Michelle Enright said:

“With only 50 days to go until the T20 World Cup, our message is that this is a World Cup for everyone. It will be an unmissable celebration of cricket and the many different cultures that makes up its extraordinary global fanbase.

“World Cups have an unrivalled ability to unite the country and to inspire the next generation.  With kids tickets to all Super 12 matches at just $5, we hope as many families as possible are able to come and see the world’s best cricketers and share in the joy of live sport.”

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand- West Indies Women suffered a 157-run defeat to Australia Women in the first semi-final of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, ending their sensationsal run in the tournament.

In a mist and rain-reduced match of 45 overs, West Indies won the toss and elected to bowl first. Alyssa Healy and Rachel Haynes 216-run opening partnership ensured Australia reached their 305/3 total from their allotted overs. Healy smashed seventeen fours and a six on her way to a top score of 129 from 107 deliveries. Haynes added 85 off 100 deliveries, while Beth Mooney finished on 46 not out. Bowling for the West Indies, Chinelle Henry finished with the best figures of 2/51, while Shamilia Connell had 1/45.

Only Stafanie Taylor, Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin managed to reach double figures in the West Indies run-chase. Taylor top scored with 48 off 75 deliveries, which included four fours. Dottin 34 from 35 and Matthews 34 from 49, as the West Indies finished on 148 all out in 37 overs. Jess Jonassen had the best bowling figures for Australia with 2/14 followed by Megan Schutt with 1/8.

West Indies Captain, Stafanie Taylor said the team exceeded expectations, “No-one expected us to win the first two games and to be in the semi-finals. I think the way we played throughout the tournament had been really good. We had some downs and that happens but it’s about learning and I believe that we are still learning and I’m proud of the way we played. We still have more to go and you’ll see us around again.”

Match Summary

Australia Women

305/3 (45 overs)

Alyssa Healy 129              Chinelle Henry 9-0-51-2

Rachel Haynes 85            Shamilia Connell 8-0-45-1

West Indies Women

148 all out (37 overs)

Stafanie Taylor 48             Jess Jonassen 5-0-14-2

Deandra Dottin 34            Megan Schutt 4-0-8-1

Post-match media conference audio and video here

Please note ICC’s media protocols below:

• Videos, transcripts and translations from Media Conferences are available in the ICC Online Media Zone, which provides extensive text, images and video content for free editorial use, giving credit to @ICC
• Media are allowed to use the videos on their websites and mobile applications but can’t upload them on social media platforms including but not limited to YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
• The Resources section of the ICC Online Media Zone has a comprehensive Media Guide, Playing Conditions and other useful reference material for the tournament
• Those wanting access to the Online Media Zone may please send in a request to media@icc-cricket.com with their names, organisation and e-mail ID

FULL SQUAD

• Stafanie Taylor (Captain)
• Anisa Mohammed (Vice Captain)
• Aaliyah Alleyne
• Shemaine Campbelle
• Shamilia Connell
• Deandra Dottin
• Afy Fletcher
• Cherry Ann Fraser
• Chinelle Henry
• Kycia Knight
• Hayley Matthews
• Chedean Nation
• Karishma Ramharack
• Shakera Selman
• Rashada Williams

Travelling Reserves

• Kaysia Schultz
• Mandy Mangru
• Jannillea Glasgow

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Australia earned their place in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 final with a comprehensive 157-run victory over the West Indies in a rain-reduced game.

Meg Lanning’s side were at their destructive best with the bat, Alyssa Healy making 129 as she and Rachael Haynes put on 216 for the first wicket, to set up a mammoth total of 305 for three from 45 overs.

The West Indies never looked like getting close in their chase, captain Stafanie Taylor was her side’s top-scorer with 48 as the West Indies could only manage a total of 148.

Play got underway one hour and 45 minutes late as thick mist and drizzle started to give way to sunshine with the match reduced to 45 overs.

Having been put in to bat, Australia were undeterred by the West Indies’ fast bowlers running in on a green wicket in gloomy Wellington as they made 37 from the nine-over powerplay.

Healy took her time getting going, she made just 10 from 25 balls through the first ten overs but then picked up the pace to bring up her fifty from 63 balls.

Her second fifty would come off just 28 balls as she achieved a maiden World Cup hundred as she and Haynes earned their 200-partnership within 32 overs.

Healy eventually departed for 129 from 107 balls, including 17 fours and one six, as the West Indies held on to their first catch of the day, substitute Shakera Selman, on for the injured Anisa Mohammed, diving in.

A mini fightback ensued as Chinelle Henry took two wickets in an over, Haynes going first for 85 from 100 balls before Ashleigh Gardner’s promotion from seventh to third ended after 12 runs as the West Indies dragged Australia back to 235 for three.

Lanning and Beth Mooney were there to steady the ship however, the two batters with the highest averages in the tournament, taking Australia to 305 for three from their 45 overs, the largest-ever score in a World Cup knockout game.

In reply, the West Indies made a steady start once again led by Deandra Dottin but soon lost their first wicket as Rashada Williams went for a 10-ball duck, Mooney holding on to a stunning grab off the bowling of Megan Schutt.

Annabel Sutherland did what the Windies could not, safely holding on to a looping catch at long-on to dismiss Dottin for 34 from 35 balls as she had just started finding the boundary regularly.

Hayley Matthews fell for the same score, this time from 49 balls, as Jess Jonassen took the first wicket from spin for the day with her fourth ball, Alana King holding on to a poorly-timed shot at mid-off.

Matthews’s wicket did not spark the West Indies into life as they slipped to 91 for three in 22.4 overs, Taylor joined by Shemaine Campbelle as the required run-rate climbed above 10 an over.

Sutherland chipped in with a wicket as Campbelle sent a delivery straight to Jonassen to depart for eight from 22 balls.

Chedean Nation came out with intent cracking a six from her first ball but could add only more before being run out by Healy.

Kycia Knight followed for a two-ball duck as Jonassen moved to 10 wickets for the tournament and reduced the West Indies to 126 for six.

Gardner then looked to catch Jonassen up getting her ninth of the World Cup to dismiss Ramharack LBW a ball after she was dropped by Sutherland.

Taylor eventually departed for 48 from 74, with four fours, and with it the West Indies innings and run in the World Cup came to an end as the injured Mohammed and ill Henry did not take to the field.

It gave Australia a 157-run win as they advance to their seventh World Cup final, while the West Indies search for a first Women’s ODI World Cup title goes on.

Scores in brief

Australia beat West Indies at Basin Reserve, Wellington by 157 runs
Australia 305 for three in 45 overs (Alyssa Healy 129, Rachael Haynes 85; Chinelle Henry 2/51, Shamilia Connell 1/46)
West Indies 148 all out in 37 overs (Stafanie Taylor 48, Deandra Dottin 34, Hayley Matthews 34; Jess Jonassen 2/14, Megan Schutt 1/8)
Player of the Match: Alyssa Healy (Australia)

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Australia survived a scare from Bangladesh to record a five-wicket win that ensured they finished the group stage of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 unbeaten.

After winning the toss, Australia took regular wickets through spin to reduce Bangladesh to 135 for six from their 43 overs after the start was delayed by rain in Wellington.

Spin continued to dominate as Bangladesh took the ball, Salma Khatun reducing Australia to 41 for four at the first drinks break before a defiant Beth Mooney guided her side, who had already secured their semi-final spot, to a seventh straight win with an unbeaten 66.

Having been put in to bat, Bangladesh made a steady start taking 28 runs from the first six overs before the spin of Ashleigh Gardner and Jess Jonassen was introduced.

Gardner would get the first wicket of the innings, dismissing Murshida Khatun for 12 from 17 balls as Rachael Haynes held on to a good catch.

That brought Fargana Hoque to the crease and she became the first Bangladeshi women to pass 1000 ODI runs before nicking Annabel Sutherland behind to Alyssa Healy for eight.

Australia then smartly reviewed to have Sharmin Akhter given out LBW, DRS confirming Jonassen’s delivery was hitting the top of leg stump as Bangladesh slipped to 58 for three.

The experienced heads of Nigar Sultana and Rumana Ahmed played calmly, taking five runs off the next 25 balls before Nigar departed for seven from 30 balls when trying to relieve the dot ball pressure.

Bangladesh continued to build promising partnerships, Rumana and Lata Mondol adding 33 for the fifth wicket before the former was caught by Jonassen at mid-off for Gardner’s second wicket of the day to leave the Tigresses on 95 for five with 8.4 overs remaining.

Lata was the final wicket to fall as Megan Schutt had her stumped after she top-scored with 33 from 63 balls, wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy whipping off the non-existent bails after they were removed due to the blustery conditions.

Salma was there at the end on 15 not out from 23 balls as Bangladesh set Australia 136 to win, no easy task given the weather.

But it wasn’t the wind that caused Australia problems, it was Bangladesh’s bowlers with Salma the principal architect of the initial collapse.

Healy was first to go after holing out to Jahanara Alam in the deep for 15 from 22 as Salma became the first Bangladeshi bowler to take a wicket against Australia with this the first ever ODI clash between the sides.

Meg Lanning’s 30^th birthday did not come with a present from her opponents as she was clean-bowled for a duck by a peach of a delivery from Salma, only the fourth time the Australian captain has failed to trouble the scorers in 98 ODIs.

Only three more runs were added before Haynes departed for seven from 23 deliveries as Salma single-handedly reduced Australia to 26 for three.

The injured Ellyse Perry could only watch on as Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath were moved up the order and now had a real job to do. But McGrath only made three, given out LBW off the bowling of Nahida Akter.

Mooney instead combined with the hard-striking Gardner to build the biggest partnership of the innings so far, adding 29 runs.

But Gardner had to go when she was bowled by Rumana who broke the partnership with her 50^th ODI wicket, the first woman to reach a half century for Bangladesh, repeating the feat Gardner managed herself in the first innings.

Mooney steadied a rocking Australia ship with a fifty from 60 balls, scoring only four fours as she realised the aerial route spelt danger, instead rotating the strike with Sutherland as the light began to fade.

The duo were there at the end after putting on the 66 runs needed for victory to see Australia home with 65 balls to spare to complete the clean sweep.

Bangladesh’s very slim hopes of joining Australia in the semi-finals were ended by the loss but they have another chance to pull off an upset against England in Wellington on Sunday.

Scores in brief

Australia beat Bangladesh at Basin Reserve, Wellington by five wickets

Bangladesh 135/6 in 43 overs (Lata Mondol 33, Sharmin Akhter 24; Jess Jonassen 2/13, Ashleigh Gardner 2/23)
Australia 136/5 in 32.1 overs (Beth Mooney 66 not out, Annabel Sutherland 26 not out; Salma Khatun 3/23)
Player of the Match: Beth Mooney (Australia)

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Meg Lanning’s 135 not out led her Australia side to a five-wicket win over South Africa, continuing their unbeaten run at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 while ending the Proteas’.

Laura Wolvaardt fell short of a century of her own but made a fine 90 as South Africa set Australia a challenging 272 to win in Wellington.  But South Africa had no match for an imperious Lanning as she steered Australia to a dominant victory which ensured they will finish no lower than second.

Having been put in to bat, Wolvaardt and Lizelle Lee reached 88 runs for South Africa’s highest opening partnership of the tournament before Lee fell LBW to Alana King for 36 from 44 balls.

Lara Goodall, who came into the side for a struggling Tazmin Brits, timed the ball well but could make only 15 before she provided King with a routine catch off the bowling of Annabel Sutherland.

Wolvaardt and Sune Luus continued their fruitful partnership, putting on 91 for the third wicket as Wolvaardt reached her fourth consecutive World Cup fifty. A century again proved elusive, however, the opener falling 10 runs short as Ashleigh Gardner earned her first wicket.

Luus would fall not long after, Tahlia McGrath taking her second catch of the day – this one much simpler than the catch to dismiss Wolvaardt to send Luus back to the pavilion following a well-made 52 from 51 balls.

Losing their two set batters saw South Africa slip to 216 for four and Mignon du Preez was given another chance to get some runs in the tournament, having made just 27 across the Proteas’ previous four matches.

She could add only 14 to the total but her dismissal was not entirely her fault, du Preez joining the Australians in having a smile on her face – though hers was a wry one – as Gardner plucked the ball out of the sky at full stretch, stopping what looked to be a six to reduce South Africa to 228 for five.

Marizanne Kapp and Chloe Tryon added valuable runs at the death, Kapp finishing on 30 not out from 21 and Tryon hitting Megan Schutt for the only six of the innings as the Proteas finished strongly.

Australia began their chase of 272 similarly positively, taking 14 off the first two overs before Alyssa Healy was caught behind by Trisha Chetty off the bowling of a roaring Shabnim Ismail for one.

That brought Lanning to the crease and she and vice-captain Rachael Haynes put Australia in a strong position at 45 for one after the powerplay.

Haynes then departed for 17 from 29, du Preez getting her own back by taking a stunning catch in full flight to hand Tryon an unlikely first wicket.

Ellyse Perry did not come out to bat at four, her departure from the field with a back injury meaning she could come in no higher than seven, but the equally able Beth Mooney took her place.

Lanning was typically ruthless in her pursuit of leading her side to victory, taking on World Cup debutant Tumi Sekhukhune as she brought up 52 from 57 balls.

Sekhukhune made amends in the field, producing a direct hit to dismiss Mooney for 21 and reduce Australia to 114 for three after 20 overs.

Lanning had let a hundred pass her by against India, falling for 97, but she was not to be denied on this occasion and brought up her 15^th ODI century with a four off Ayabonga Khaka, strengthening her grip on the most hundreds in women’s ODIs.

After twice being dropped, McGrath was finally caught by Kapp for 32 from 35 balls to calm a seething Ismail.

Gardner would then depart for 22 as Tryon got a second wicket but Australia were always comfortable at 241 for five with 10 overs remaining.

Lanning was there at the end on 135 not out from 130 balls and Sutherland hit the winning runs to earn Australia’s sixth win in as many games.

Scores in brief

Australia beat South Africa at Basin Reserve, Wellington by five wickets
South Africa 271/5 in 50.0 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 90, Sune Luus 52).
Australia 272/5 in 45.2 overs (Meg Lanning 135 not out, Tahlia McGrath 32; Shabnim Ismail 2/33, Chloe Tryon 2/44)
Player of the Match: Meg Lanning (Australia)

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Australia completed a World Cup-record chase of 278 to beat India by six wickets and become the first team to book their place in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 semi-finals.

Skipper Mithali Raj’s 68 was one of three fifties for India as they built vital partnerships to frustrate Australia’s bowlers on their way to posting 277 for seven.  But Australia’s batters, led by Meg Lanning’s 97, ground their opponents down putting on two 100-run partnerships before a late India fightback saw unbeaten Australia squeak home with only three balls to spare.

Smriti Mandhana added only 10 runs to the 216 she had previously scored in the tournament as she was caught by Lanning at slip to hand Darcie Brown her first wicket.

Megan Schutt was hit for six by the returning Shafali Verma before she too fell to Brown as Beth Mooney held on to a great catch in the cordon to leave India 28 for two.

Captain Raj joined Yastika Bhatia at the crease and the two went about rebuilding for India and they were helped by Ellyse Perry’s eventful first over.

The right-arm seamer conceded 10 runs from wides in a 12-ball over that added 16 runs to the total to help India move to 60 for two off 12 overs.

Both batters brought up their half-centuries off 57 balls before Bhatia had go for 59 from 83 when she sent one straight to Perry in the deep giving Brown her third wicket and ending the partnership on 130 runs, India’s highest third-wicket stand in ODIs against Australia.

Perry also pouched Raj who made 68 runs from 96 balls, Alana King taking her first wicket as India’s batters traded finding gaps for finding fielders.

Harmanpreet Kaur came out with a similar attacking intent to the last time these teams met at the World Cup – her blistering 171 not out taking India to victory in the 2017 semi-final – and Richa Ghosh was a willing partner as India reached 200 for four with 10 overs to go.

Ghosh was then stumped by Alyssa Healy for eight as King bowled a wicket maiden before Sneh Rana fell for a five-ball duck when she was clean-bowled by Jess Jonassen as India lost three wickets for 27 runs.

Only one more wicket would fall and it wasn’t until the final ball of the innings when Pooja Vastrakar was run out by Jonassen for 34 from 28.

It mattered little as she shared a 64-run stand with Kaur to help rescue India from a wobble and set Australia an imposing 278 to win, 20 more than they had knocked off against Sri Lanka in 2017, the previous highest chase at a World Cup.

Australia made a fast start to the chase taking 67 runs from the powerplay without loss as the bad balls were punished by openers Healy and Rachael Haynes.

Healy departed for a well-made 72 from 65 balls but could count herself unlucky after her reverse-sweep found Raj at midwicket who took a good catch to give Rana her first wicket of the game.

Suddenly there were two new batters at the crease as Rachael Haynes also departed for 43 from 53 balls, edging a short ball from Vastrakar into the gloves of Ghosh.

Australia were undeterred by the two quick wickets, however, as Lanning and Perry combined to put on another century stand in the game.

The pair reached 102 before the expected rain finally arrived and once the game resumed with a wide, Perry then had to go for 28 from 51 balls when she sent a Vastrakar full toss straight to Raj at cover.

Even Jhulan Goswami in her 200^th ODI could not stop Lanning who looked certain to make a century until an incredibly rare error on 97 gave Vastrakar a low catch off the bowling of Meghna Singh.

With eight needed from the final over, Mooney had the calmest head in Eden Park, completing the chase with three balls spare to move Australia into the knockouts.

Scores in brief

Australia beat India at Eden Park, Auckland by six wickets
India 277/7 in 50.0 overs (Mithali Raj 68, Yastika Bhatia 59, Harmanpreet Kaur 57 not out; Darcie Brown 3/30, Alana King 2/52)
Australia 280/4 in 49.3 overs (Meg Lanning 97, Alyssa Healy 72, Rachael Haynes 43, Beth Mooney 30 not out; Pooja Vastrakar 2/43)
Player of the Match: Meg Lanning (Australia)

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Wellington, New Zealand- Australia defeated West Indies Women by 7 wickets at Basin Reserve in the group stage of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in Wellington.

Winning the toss and electing to bat first, West Indies Women posted 131 all out in 45.5 overs. Captain Stafanie Taylor top scored with an even 50 from 91 deliveries. Shemaine Campbelle had the next best figures with 20 off 51 balls. Ellyse Perry was the pick of the Australian bowlers, taking 3/22 followed by Ashleigh Gardner with 3/25.

Rachel Haynes led the Australians in their run-chase, finishing not out with a top-score of 83 from 95 deliveries. Beth Mooney was next best with 28 not out from 42 balls. Chinelle Henry, Hayley Matthews and Shamilia Connell had one wicket a piece bowling for the West Indies.

Speaking after the match, all-rounder Hayley Matthews said, “Obviously going into the second innings we knew we didn’t have the score we wanted on the board but at the same time, we’ve shown a lot of fight throughout the entire tournament and we were looking to do nothing different today. We knew we would have a chance if we took early wickets. I don’t think it’s too much pressure (going into the last three games). Coming into this tournament we knew the first four games are going to probably be our hardest. We said to ourselves if we could get 2-3 wins out of these first four games we would be in a strong position and we’ve done exactly that. The tournament is still in our hands if we can go out there and win the remaining three matches.”

West Indies Women will travel to Tauranga where they will play Bangladesh on March 18 at Bay Oval. First ball is at 11:00am (March 17, 6:00pm Eastern Caribbean Time/5pm Jamaica Time)

Match summary

• West Indies Women
• 131 all out (45.5 overs)
• Stafanie Taylor 50 Ellyse Perry 8-0-22-3
• Shemaine Campbelle 20 Ashleigh Gardner 10-1-25-3

Australia Women

• 132/3 (30.2 overs)
• Rachel Haynes 83* Chinelle Henry 5-0-20-1
• Beth Mooney 28* Hayley Matthews 8-2-31-1

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Australia recovered from a shaky start and put New Zealand to the sword in a 141–run victory to remain undefeated at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022.

A 101-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Ellyse Perry and Tahlia McGrath stabilised Australia’s innings before some big hitting from Ashleigh Gardner lifted them to 269 for eight.

New Zealand went from 22 for no loss to 35 for five in no time in reply and never recovered as they were bowled out for 128 at the Basin Reserve.

New Zealand won the toss and elected to field but did not take their first wicket until the final ball of the powerplay, as Alyssa Healy’s attempted pull shot found Amelia Kerr at midwicket.

Fielder Katey Martin then got into action in her 100th ODI, taking the catch to dismiss Meg Lanning, before opener Rachael Haynes fell four balls later to Lea Tahuhu           to leave Australia in a spot of bother at 56 for three.

Beth Mooney joined Perry at the crease and the pair targeted seamer Hayley Jensen for runs, steering their side to 97 for three at the half-way mark – but boundaries were often few and far between.

Just as it looked like the partnership was starting to develop, Mooney chopped on off the bowling of Jess Kerr for 30 from 44 balls.

McGrath joined Perry and the two rotated the strike masterfully, bringing up their 50-run partnership with the final ball of the 40th over.

And then Australia really kicked into gear, putting on more than 100 runs in the final 10 overs for a second time at this World Cup with Jensen again the initial target, being taken all around the ground for 20 off one over.

Maddy Green provided the something special needed to end the partnership, as she ran round to her left and made a leaping catch to dismiss Perry for an 86-ball 68 off the bowling off Tahuhu.

Unfortunately for New Zealand, that was the beginning of Australia’s assault, as Gardner, only recently out of Covid isolation, got off the mark with a four.

McGrath fell for 57 but Gardner just kept going and finished the innings with a six to reach 48 from only 18 balls to set New Zealand 270 to win.

In blustery Wellington, New Zealand had the wind firmly knocked out of their sails as teenage sensation Darcie Brown combined with Perry to rip through the top order.

Devine was out for run-a-ball six and Amelia Kerr only scored one in her 50th ODI, as Mooney took a stunning catch at slip.

New Zealand were frustrated and Suzie Bates showed it by sending up a high but comfortable catch to McGrath at midwicket.

The home side had slipped to 24 for three and things went from bad to worse, as Green went for three by sending an edge to Healy behind the stumps. Frances Mackay made just one as she was given out LBW off the bowling of Brown to leave the hosts on 35 for five before the experience of Amy Satterthwaite and Martin temporarily settled nerves.

But Amanda-Jade Wellington took two wickets in two balls, first trapping Martin LBW and then tempting Jensen into a stroke that was caught at cover.

Wellington had to wait another over for her hat-trick ball, which Satterthwaite safely defended, but wickets continued to fall and Hannah Rowe went back to the pavilion for just six.

Out came Tahuhu to join her wife Satterthwaite and the pair put on a 35-run partnership before Lanning took a fine catch to dismiss Satterthwaite for 44.

Tahuhu was the final wicket to fall two overs later as Australia earned a mammoth win to take a big step towards the semi-finals.

Scores in brief 

Australia beat New Zealand at Basin Reserve, Wellington by 141 runs
Australia 269/8 in 50.0 overs (Ellyse Perry 68, Tahlia McGrath 57; Lea Tahuhu 3/53, Frances Mackay 1/34)
New Zealand 128 all out in 30.2 overs (Amy Satterthwaite 44, Lea Tahuhu 23; Darcie Brown 3/22, Ashleigh Gardner 2/15)
Player of the Match: Ellyse Perry (Australia)

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Australia clung on to defeat England by 12 runs, starting their quest for a seventh ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title with a nervy win at the Seddon Park in Hamilton on Saturday.

Opener Rachael Haynes’s perfectly played 130 helped Australia set England an imposing 311 to win but a superb batting performance from the defending champions kept them in the hunt for what would have been a great chase.

Opener Tammy Beaumont gave England a chance of chasing down the huge total before leg-spinner Alana King swung the pendulum back Australia’s way. Nat Sciver then produced a stroke-filled century that again threatened to take the game away but the asking rate proved just a little too high in the end overs.

England fell short of a record chase and Australia emerged victorious in another battle for the ages between the old adversaries and what was another engrossing match early in the eight-team tournament.

Australia were sluggish at the start. Alyssa Healy, whose last act at an ICC event was to hit 75 from 36 balls in the T20 World Cup final in 2020, was out for 27 from 32 this time, her reprieve from an lbw dismissal lasting only four balls.

Instead, Sciver would force Healy into sending a shot straight to the hands of Katherine Brunt to leave Australia at 37 from one from the powerplay. Healy had been leading the scoring and despite captain Meg Lanning and her deputy Haynes having over 6,000 ODI runs between them, they struggled to get going.

Their frustration was laid bare when Haynes flailed at a Kate Cross delivery and by luck rather than design it found the gap between two fielders. But a sign of what was to come emerged two balls later when Lanning dispatched a short ball from Cross to the cover point boundary.

Five overs later it was Katherine Brunt’s turn to scowl, as Sophie Ecclestone dropped Lanning in the deep with captain on 27 from 51. Australia then comfortably passed milestones, Lanning’s 18th ODI fifty coming from 75 balls and Haynes’s own half-century from two fewer deliveries.

It was their seventh century partnership together in one-day cricket and their 150 would be brought up not long after as the ruthless Australians smelled blood.

Despite Brunt seeing a review for lbw not given, a calm head prevailed as she rallied her England side while the big screen flashed up the outcome.

She regained her composure only momentarily as in the next over she bowled back-to-back wides before Lanning hit the first six of the game, a beautiful pull shot that sailed over the deep mid-wicket boundary.

Brunt would get revenge of sorts as Lanning had to go after finding Tammy Beaumont at point, the fielder recovering from an injured shoulder the over before to hold on to the forceful shot.

Lanning headed back to the hutch having made 86 from 110 balls and despite Australia being 231 for two with seven overs remaining, the captain knew there was a century to be had.

Haynes would get the job done three balls later, bringing up her second ODI hundred from 115 balls with 11 fours.

Haynes would eventually depart for 130 from 131 balls as she produced a rare mistimed shot and sent the ball to Danni Wyatt in the deep.

Mooney and new batter Ellyse Perry closed out the innings with four fours from seven balls to take the Australian total to 310 for three.

England’s reply got off to the worst possible start, as struggling opener Lauren Winfield-Hill was out for a fourth-ball duck after replays showed Annabel Sutherland took the diving catch cleanly.

Her dismissal brought out the captain Heather Knight and her rebuild alongside Tammy Beaumont, the player of the tournament in 2017, was emphatic.

While the first boundary came 23 balls into the innings, England scored freely, the two experienced batters rotated the strike with ease.

England had introduced spin in the 19th over, but Jess Jonassen came into the attack for Australia with only nine overs gone. Knight showed exactly what she thought of that decision clubbing her over long-off for the first six of the innings.

Another bowling change brought another important moment for England as Tahlia McGrath’s first over saw Tammy Beaumont bring up her 15th ODI fifty, six balls later her 3000th ODI run would be chalked up too.

There would be no milestone for Knight as she fell for 40, caught by Lanning at cover of the bowling of McGrath, England slipping to 92 for two.

The most poignant moment of the game came as leg-spinner and Shane Warne fan Alana King got her first wicket of the evening.

A turning delivery bewitched Beaumont as Healy whipped off the bails, King pointed to the black armband, a tribute to her idol.

Amy Jones would fall to King too before Danni Wyatt was bowled by McGrath for 177 for five to leave England in trouble and Sciver needing to produce a miracle only she would be capable of.

Sophia Dunkley was an able partner until King bowled her for 28 before Katherine Brunt wound back the years as her and fiancée Sciver dreamed the impossible dream.

Sciver’s 100 was brought up off 79 balls with 12 fours with England’s hopes surviving thanks to a straightforward drop from Darcie Brown.

Jonassen was tasked with defending 17 from the final over and produced a remarkable caught and bowled to dismiss Katherine Brunt.

With that England’s hopes were extinguished as the defending champions lost by 12 runs.

Scores in brief

Australia beat England at Seddon Park, Hamilton by 12 runs
Australia 310/3 in 50.0 overs (Rachael Haynes 130, Meg Lanning 86; Nat Sciver 2/68, Katherine Brunt 1/54)
England 298/8 in 50.0 overs (Nat Sciver 108 not out, Tammy Beaumont 74; Alana King 3/59; Tahlia McGrath 2/51)
Player of the Match: Rachael Haynes (Australia)

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