After Australia's spinners dominated the West Indies in a thrilling first semi-final at The Oval, Beth Mooney's undefeated half-century propelled Australia into the T20 World Cup final.
With a huge seven overs remaining, Mooney's undefeated 61 off 36 balls helped Australia win with only 126. From their perspective, it wasn't all easy because Ellyse Perry, the tournament's most productive batter after England opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge, had to retire due to a quadricep problem.
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| After the victory, Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney share a hug |
In front of a respectable crowd of 10,023 given the Tuesday afternoon time slot, the West Indies experienced some drama of their own when Deandra Dottin became ill just before the game but recovered in time to bat down the order and give the West Indies' bowlers something to defend.
Following Ashleigh Gardner's Scrooge-like 2 for 13 from four overs of her off-spin, legspinner Georgia Wareham and left-armer Sophie Molineux each contributed two wickets.
Before this match, West Indies had only defeated Australia twice in 19 Twenty20 Internationals. Given Australia's undefeated run to the knockout stages and the West Indies' two losses and reliance on England to remove New Zealand, this match proved to be the mismatch many feared.
Dottin's drama
When Dottin, the West Indies' most seasoned top-order batsman, had to be carried off the pitch shortly after the anthems and spent roughly 30 minutes receiving treatment in the medical room for an unexplained medical condition, it sent a shiver through the West Indies' camp. But she pulled off an incredible comeback, running out to the middle at No. 8 with her side at 83 for 6.
After that, Dottin scored a 16-ball 26 with four fours, which was both her greatest innings of the competition and the West Indies' second-best of the day after Hayley Matthews. This raised concerns about what would have happened to them if she hadn't recovered in time.
WI wastes a strong beginning
Matthews sorely needed to regain the batting form that had abandoned her since scoring 48 in the West Indies' opening game, while Dottin was unsure whether to bat. While Qiana Joseph went through 16 balls for 6 runs by the end of the powerplay, Matthews was on 27 when she drew Kim Garth's final ball of the powerplay towards short third. This was a difficult opportunity that burst through Lucy Hamilton's hands and was moving at a respectable clip.
Georgia Voll made a simple catch at deep midwicket to save Joseph, and she appeared ready to start when she hit an Annabel Sutherland offcutter into the seats beyond long-on. However, Matthews' exposed stumps were instantly spooked by Wareham's onslaught in the ninth over as she sidestepped for a poorly thought-out lap and paid the price. As the wicket fell, West Indies head coach Shane Deitz winced and buried his face in his hands. This led to a collapse of four wickets for twelve runs in 17 balls.
Gardner uncovers danger
Following the powerplay, Gardner bowled right away, giving up only two runs in her opening over before making a double-wicket maiden in her second. During that period, she used a slower ball that produced a leading edge directly to a waiting Garth at midwicket to take the crucial wicket of Stafanie Taylor for a second-ball duck. In the midst of that devastating collapse for the West Indies, Jahzara Claxton then advanced to the third ball she faced and chipped to Molineux at cover to exit for nothing.
For now, Perry, there is no issue
Mooney and Gardner had an uninterrupted partnership of 63 off 37 deliveries after Perry left for a medical evaluation after scoring two in seven balls. On her route to an eighth half-century in the T20 World Cup, Mooney hit eight fours, matching the record set by recently retired New Zealand icon Suzie Bates. Following an undefeated half-century against India on Sunday, which was her second fifty of the tournament, Mooney reached her fifty with a blast through midwicket for one off Matthews and Gardner. She then hit the winning runs with a four through square leg. Gardner finished on 35, not out of 20.
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