AUS W vs ENG W | Twitter in awe as Sutherland and Gardner power Australia to thumping win

‌Australia Women came out on top with a six-wicket win against England Women in the battle of table toppers in an ODI World Cup match in Indore on Wednesday. Annabel Sutherland and Ashleigh Gardner powered the Aussies home with an unbeaten partnership of 180 runs as they chased down the target of 245 with 57 balls to spare. Sutherland had a night to remember with a three-wicket haul and 98 runs with the bat while Gardner scored her second century in this World Cup, and at the same venue, to end their arch rivals’ unbeaten run in the tournament.

After being put into bat at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, England got off to a great start with opener Tammy Beaumont welcoming Kim Garth into the attack with a six and a four in the second over. Her partner Amy Jones also joined in with three boundaries off Megan Schutt as Beaumont repeated her partner’s feat against Garth as the pair added 55 runs in the first eight overs. However, the introduction of Annabel Sutherland and Sophie Molineux slowed down England’s charge, with the medium pacer starting off with a maiden over that included the scalp of Jones. Though Heather Knight got off to a steady start, Molineux trapped the former England captain in front of the wicket in the 18th over, as they managed just 35 runs between overs eight and 18. Despite Beaumont’s 105-ball 78, which included 10 fours and a six, England slipped to 166/6 with more than 10 overs remaining. But Alice Capsey and Charlie Dean’s 61-run association for the seventh wicket saw the side post a competitive 244/9 at the end of their allotted 50 overs. Capsey hit five boundaries during her knock of 38 off 32 balls while Dean supported well with a knock of 26. Sutherland was the pick among the Aussie bowlers with a spell of 3/60 in 10 overs, with the spin duo of Ashleigh Gardner and Sophie Molineux picking up two wickets each.

In return, the defending champions lost in-form open Phoebe Litchfield with Lauren Bell disturbing her timber in the third ball of the chase. Left-arm spinner Linsey Smith continued her powerplay exploits in this game as well accounting for Georgia Voll and Ellyse Perry in her second and third over, respectively, as the Aussies slipped to 24/3. Sutherland and Beth Mooney bailed them out of trouble with a 44-run stand before the latter was dismissed by Sophie Ecclestone against the run of play. However, that was the last source of joy for England as Sutherland and Gardner closed the door on them with a mammoth match-winning partnership. Gardner was the aggressor among the two as she smashed 16 boundaries during her unbeaten knock of 104 off 73 balls, while Sutherland hit nine fours and a six during her 112-ball innings as the Aussies ended their chase at 248/4 in the 40.3 overs. Linsey Smith was England’s best bowler with a spell of 2/43 in eight overs, with Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell chipping in with a wicket each.