Australia dominated the rain-affected first semi-final of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 against the West Indies on Wednesday, storming into their record seventh final in Wellington.
The West Indies were defeated by Australia by a crushing 157-run margin, as Meg Lanning’s side became the first to reach the summit clash.
A brilliant century from Alyssa Healy and an outstanding cameo from Rachael Haynes helped Australia thrash West Indies in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 semi-finals at the Basin Reserve on Wednesday.
Healy hit 129 off 107 balls and Haynes hit 85 off 100 balls, putting on 216 runs for the first wicket to help Australia reach 305/3 in a rain-shortened match of 45 overs.
West Indies skipper Stafanie Taylor (48) played a lone hand in chasing 306, while Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews each scored 34 runs at the top of the order. However, Australia cruised home, as the West Indies struggled in their batting thereafter.
Jess Jonassen, an experienced spinner, bowled well to take two wickets, and five others each took one, while Beth Mooney took the catch of the tournament to go with her unbeaten 43 with the bat.
Earlier, Healy and Haynes put on 216 runs for the first wicket at a blistering pace as Australia amassed a massive total after being put in to bat first.
In the 33rd over, Shamilia Connell got the breakthrough when she caught Healy in the deep.
In the same over, West Indies seamer Chinelle Henry picked up Ash Gardner, who had been promoted up the order to number three, to help reduce Australia to 236/3.
However, Beth Mooney’s 43 not out and Meg Lanning’s 26 not out took the score past 300, leaving West Indies with a mountain too difficult to climb as Australia breezed through to the title decider.
Stefanie Taylor’s post-match comments
“When you look at it, it’s that partnership that deflated the whole team, that’s what the Australians did well.
“They absorbed the pressure and then they upped the ante, I find out that we couldn’t get over that and the amount of drop catches never helped us in the field.
“To chase that total you have to be positive, we needed someone from the top four to be positive and we just never had that. Deandra tried and I guess we needed a burst like against India or something like that to get that momentum going towards the end,” said Stefanie Taylor in a post-match presentation.
“When you have Rashada who is a stroke player and Deandra hits the ball hard and we find that both of them complement well each other and with me and Hayley next if both of us are, we can get the team over.
“It was really hard but we were actually looking to get something from the game, at least get to 200.
“For me, personally just a bit disappointed with my performance especially with the bat earlier I was carrying a niggle with my bowling and it was a bit hard for me personally,” she added.
