Just two days into the Women’s World Cup and we have already seen a couple of games being decided on the last three balls or so. In today’s encounter, the English women almost pulled off the biggest chase in the women’s ODI World Cup when Australia set them 311 and they made it to 298, the highest-scoring while chasing. It was the Haynes-Lanning stand that set the tone for the Aussies, while Haynes made a hundred, Lanning played gritty innings going till the mid-80s. Perry and Mooney finished the innings with a flurry and Perry’s three boundaries in the last over surely made a huge difference in the end.
On the other hand, while Tammy Beaumont started out strong for the English team, the middle-order frailties continue to resurface for the team. Left to do much in the last 20 overs, Nat Sciver took apart even the most effective bowlers for the Australians and with Brunt, almost threatened to game away with the team needing 12-13 runs per over in the last two-three overs. However, a tight over by Tahlia McGrath ensured that the things don’t get out of hand and then a stunning catch by Jess Jonassen meant that the England squad needed 15 off 4. Well, in the end, Jess didn’t even concede a boundary in the last over and sealed the deal. Still, it was a gutsy effort by Tammy and Sciver.