Heartbreak: Windies suffer heavy defeat in 1st semi-final

Stand-alone Women’s World T20 tournament…

– Healy, bowlers lead Australia into finals

By Brandon Corlette

Australia’s flag flew proudly after the West Indies produced a horrific batting performance at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound Antigua. The Australians had the final laugh thumping the defending champions by 71 runs after posting 142-5 batting first. Australian bowlers then stunned the Caribbean restricting the Windies for exactly half of the required runs (71) inside 18 overs.
It has been 32 months since the West Indies Women had overdosed the Australians with the champion dance winning the World T20 in Eden Gardens, India. Australia got their opportunity for a rematch while West Indies created an opportunity to win the first ICC World title at home. However, it was Australia’s day to knock the West Indies out of the World T20 tournament.
The atmosphere throughout Antigua was electrifying; it felt like a national holiday with the Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne proposing that all governmental employees be given half-day to support West Indies and women’s cricket.
Stafanie Taylor won the toss and opted to bowl under sparkling sunshine on a

pitch that is not straight-forward for batting. It was the return of the Australia’s star batter Alyssa Healy, accompanied by Beth Mooney, who started proceedings for the Aussies. Healy and Mooney have been the most productive opening duo, putting together 73 runs in a power play earlier in the tournament. The West Indies opening bowlers Selman and Connell were aware of the duo’s dominance; Selman picked up Mooney’s wicket in her second over with Natasha McLean completing a comfortable catch. Mooney stroked one boundary, but was removed for six with the score on 20-1.
One of the world’s best women batters, Meg Lanning partnered Healy and ensured no further hiccups as the pair began the rebuilding process. Lanning and Healy saw their team reach the half-century mark in 9.2 overs of sensible batting, with Healy being the aggressor in a 51-run partnership with Lanning contributing 19 runs. Healy with three player-of-the-match awards prior to this match assessed the conditions brilliantly. She was then beaten for bounce in the twelfth over with the score on 71-2 when Afy Fletcher pocketed the prized wicket after Connell completed a simple catch. Healy departed for a shot-filled 46 from 38 balls inclusive of one maximum and four trademark boundaries.
Australia’s captain, Meg Lanning consolidated with calm and composed batting with Ashleigh Gardener, but West Indies bowlers kept coming at them. The Aussies were tempted to clear the infield; Gardener failed to avoid the temptation and lofted a delivery in the fifteenth over straight to Chinelle Henry at mid-off. Villani (14) made her exit with the score on 95-3 with a watchful Lanning (31)

following soon after in Deandra Dottin’s first over. Lanning’s innings lasted 39 balls in a boundary-struggling batting effort. The experienced Rachael Haynes and Elyse Perry enjoyed the pace of Dottin and took their team to a respectable 142-5 when 20 overs elapsed. Shakera Selman, Hayley Matthews, Stafanie Taylor, Afy Matthews and Deandra Dottin picked up one wicket each in a disciplined bowling effort.
Matthews and Dottin entered the batting arena with the aim of chasing 142 runs to book another World T20 final spot. Megan Schutt and Sohie Molineux started proceedings for Australia, but it was Healy’s brilliance that got things going with a run-out of Matthews. Matthews (5) ran past a Molineux delivery that allowed wicket-keeper Healy to pull off a stunner that sparked a Windies collapse. The semi-final pressure got to the Caribbean girls with Australian bowlers chipping away with wickets at regular intervals. The world number one all-rounder Elyse Perry was impeccable hitting a consistent line removing Dottin (6) in her first over. Natasha McLean came and went without troubling the scores while Shemaine Campbell (7) chopped on an Elyse Perry delivery in a wicket maiden over. After 6.2 overs, West Indies were 27-4 hitting several speed bumps caused by the mighty Aussie bowlers. The loss of Taylor (16) in the eleventh over minimised the chances of West Indies repeating what they did in the 2016 World T20 finals. Eventually, West Indies were bundled out for an embarrassing 71 with only Taylor reaching double figures. Ellyse Perry bowled two magical overs with 2-2 while Kimmince and Gardener snatched two wickets each to complete an impressive bowling performance.