Nat Sciver’s second century against Australia in the tournament is wasted as England bowed out for 285 going for a massive 357 in the World Cup final; Australia win the World Cup for the seventh time extending the record with the ninth consecutive victory in this year’s tournament as Alyssa Healy scores 170
Nat Sciver’s 148 no outs were in vain, as Alyssa Healy’s impressive 170 on 138 balls propelled Australia to World Cup glory with a 71-run victory over defending champions England, earning them a seventh title.
Healy punished England for leaving her at 42 as she clawed her way to the highest score in a men’s or women’s World Cup final, with her cap 26 powering Australia to a formidable 356-5 after Heather Knight put them at bat. at Haggley. Oval in Christchurch.
Sciver scored top marks with a brilliant 121-ball strike in response, hitting his second ton against Australia in this tournament having made 109 against them in the group stage, as England kept pace as the wickets fell at the other end. .
A ninth-wicket position of 65 with Charlie Dean (21) for 213-8 kept England’s hopes of a remarkable win alive, but they were ultimately dismissed for 285 in 43.4 overs: spinners Alana King (3-64) and Jess Jonassen (3-57) sharing six wickets.
Knight’s team missed out on the chance to become the first England team to successfully defend the World Cup 50+ title, and Australia finished an unblemished campaign with a ninth win from nine to become world champions in both white ball forms having won the last two T20s. World Cups, in 2018 and 2020.
England’s hopes of retaining their title were dashed after losing their first three games of the competition, including a 12-run loss to Australia in their opening match.
But, on the verge of elimination, Knight’s team launched a magnificent revival with five straight wins that led to Sunday’s showpiece against a giant team from Australia.
Australia were heavy favorites going into the match, with their irresistible recent form including winning their previous seven ODIs against England and triumphing 12-4 in the multi-format Women’s Ashes series earlier this winter.
The Southern Stars lived up to their billing as Healy’s second century in as many games (he hit 129 in the semi-final against the West Indies) and led Australia to the highest score in a World Cup final. Female, surpassing the 259-7 they had. in their victory over the West Indies in 2013.
Healy, who also dropped 136, shared 150-plus partnerships with fellow fly-half Rachael Haynes (68-93) and No.3 Beth Mooney (62-47) as England bowlers except Anya Shrubsole (3- 46). to work hard in a belted batting lane, raising questions as to whether Knight had made a mistake in choosing to bowl.
Things might have been different if Healy and Haynes hadn’t dropped into the 40s in the 21st inning, which started with Australia 92-0: Kate Cross, the unlucky bowler, while Danni Wyatt spilled Haynes at the point towards back before Sciver. .
Healy made the most of her reprieve, playing a variety of brilliant offside shots and some inventive firsts, also during a throbbing hit as her husband, Australia men’s fast bowler Mitchell Starc, watched gleefully from the crowd.
England had to wait until 30th for their first big breakthrough – Haynes edged out Sophie Ecclestone (1-71) with Tammy Beaumont on point back – and then until 46th for their second, when Healy was beaten by Amy Jones at Shrubsole. .
Healy rightly received a standing ovation as he walked away after playing a dominant hand in another World Cup final, having smoked a 39-ball 75 as Australia beat India to claim the T20 World Cup in their homeland a couple of years ago.
The opener’s exit set off a group of wickets to the death, with Ash Gardner (1) running and Shrubsole on a hat-trick as he fired Lanning (10) and Mooney from successive deliveries in the 48th.
Ellyse Perry, who transitioned into form after a back spasm to play only as a batsman, hit an unbeaten 17 from 10 balls to take Australia past 350 when Shrubsole’s final over was 15.
England starter Wyatt (4) was unable to back up her semi-final century against South Africa as Megan Schutt (2-42) castled her through the gate, who went on to pin Beaumont (27) lbw.
Sciver, who overturned an lbw layoff against King earlier in their innings, shared positions in the forties with Knight (26) and Jones (20) and then added a half-century partnership with Sophia Dunkley (23).
At 179-4 in the 28th, England had hope, only to have it seemingly snuffed out when they fell to 213-8 as Dunkley, Katherine Brunt (1), Ecclestone (3) and Cross (2) walked off.
Sciver’s alliance with Dean kept England afloat, but Dean and Shrubsole (1) were sacked in successive eliminations as Australia recorded a 38th win in their last 39 ODIs and underlined their status as one of the most dominant teams in the sport.
