BRISTOL, UK: Hosts England scored a thrilling three-run victory over arch-rivals Australia yesterday in a crucial clash of the ICC Women’s World Cup.
It was Australia’s first defeat in five matches and they stay on eight points while England, who had lost their opener against India, join them and India at the top of the table with the same number of points.
New Zealand and South Africa are on seven points each thus making the race for a top four finish all the more fierce.
Batting first, England reached a challenging 259 for eight with useful contributions from Tammy Beaumot (49), Sarah Taylor (35), Katherine Brunt (45*) and Jenny Gunn (39).
In reply, Australia came very close to scoring a thrilling victory before losing their way in the last five overs.
Needing 16 runs of the last over, they fell short by four runs.
It came down to Jess Jonassen needing to hit the last ball for six. She slogged Jenny Gunn, and for a moment - that moment between contact and TV cameras catching up with the ball’s trajectory - it seemed as if she might have won it for Australia.
But that was not to be as she had not middled the ball well and it fell short of the boundary line.
Ellyse Perry (70) top scored while Beth Mooney (31) and Meg Lanning (40) were the other main contributors.
Brief scores: England 259-8 (Beaumont 49, Brunt 45*; Villani 3-42, Beams 2-44) bt Australia 256-8 (Perry 70, Lanning 40; Hartley 2-31, Brunt 2-42) by 3 runs
TOMORROW
Pakistan vs West Indies
(Leicester. Starting 12.30pm)