Australia breezed to their sixth ICC Women’s World Cup title with a 114-run win over the West Indies at the Brabourne Stadium on Sunday evening. Led by Ellyse Perry, the Australian bowling attack ran through the Caribbean batting line-up with clinical precision after Jess Cameron propelled the Jodie Fields-led side to 259 runs earlier in the day-night final.
The Australian bowlers hit the deck hard from the word go and kept the batters on a tight leash as they successfully defended their team’s total. After contributing a quick 25 runs off 22 balls, Perry returned to strike with the ball and claimed the West Indies top order. Back in the side after missing three games due to injury, the pacer claimed three wickets in three overs after being introduced into the attack. This left WI on 41 for three.
Kyshona Knight and captain Merissa Aguilleira then looked to rebuild the innings, but a niggle caused the former to retire hurt. That brought the dangerous Deandra Dottin to the crease. The WI skipper then hit Erin Osborne for a boundary, followed by a hit over the mid-wicket fence for six. Dottin sent a Sarah Coyte delivery sailing high over the ropes for a huge six. Perry was reintroduced into the attack and bowled a maiden. But Dottin again smashed Coyte over long-on to claim six more. But just as the partnership began to take shape Aguilleira was castled by Lisa Sthalekar for 23.
With 172 runs required and four batters back in the dressing room and one retired hurt, it was left to Dottin to keep the Caribbean women in the game and carry the innings forward with the lower order for company. But Sthalekar clipped her bails 21 runs later to tilt the match completely in favour of the Australians. Megan Schutt then followed up with the wicket of Shemaine Campbelle to leave them floundering on 109 for six. Shaquana Quintyne was the next to be dismissed by Osborne, while Daley offered a return catch to Megan Schutt. With eight wickets down, Kyshona Knight returned to the middle and extended the innings with a 27 run partnership with Anisa Mohammed, until the latter was removed by Osborne. Sthalekar then took a diving catch at mid-wicket off Julie Hunter to claim Tremayne Smartt to seal the match for Australia.
Earlier, opting to bat first Australia got off to a good start with a 52-run opening standing, until Meg Lanning was sent back by Stafanie Taylor to give the West Indies their first breakthrough. However, Jess Cameron who then joined Rachel Haynes in the middle helped build a platform with a 64-run partnership. The duo ran singles and twos and kept the scoreboard ticking, before Shaquana Quintyne halted the blossoming partnership with the wicket of the opener. A brilliant catch by Kyshona Knight running to mid-wicket ended Haynes’ knock for 52. But Cameron continued to milk the West Indies bowlers and found an able ally in Lisa Sthalekar to carry the innings forward. Scoring at a quick pace they collected 55 off 48 balls. Cameron was on song as she went after the bowlers; the No.3 bat claimed as many as 19 runs off Smartt in the 30th over, including a six over long-on to bring up her half-century in style. The two threatened to take the game away from West Indies, until Cameron hit Shanel Daley to mid-wicket and departed for 75. And an over later, Sthalekar was dismissed by Quintyne. The leg-spinner then followed up with the wicket of Sarah Coyte in her next.
Although the fall of three quick wickets curbed the flow of runs, the setback was only temporary. As skipper Jodie Fields and Ellyse Perry then took the attack to the bowlers to put Australia in a commanding position. They added 50 runs to set a formidable target for the West Indies.
Brief scores: Australia 259/7 in 50 overs (J Cameron 75, R Haynes 52, S Quintyne 3/27) beat West Indies 145 all-out in 43.1 overs (M Aguilleira 23, E Perry 3/19, L Sthalekar 2/20) by 114 runs
Player of the Match: Jess Cameron for her match-winning 75-run knock.
Player of the Tournament: Suzie Bates of New Zealand for scoring 407 runs in seven innings.
