Day: March 25, 2022

Dubai, March 25, 2022 (PPI-OT):Australia survived a scare from Bangladesh to record a five-wicket win that ensured they finished the group stage of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 unbeaten.

After winning the toss, Australia took regular wickets through spin to reduce Bangladesh to 135 for six from their 43 overs after the start was delayed by rain in Wellington.

Spin continued to dominate as Bangladesh took the ball, Salma Khatun reducing Australia to 41 for four at the first drinks break before a defiant Beth Mooney guided her side, who had already secured their semi-final spot, to a seventh straight win with an unbeaten 66.

Having been put in to bat, Bangladesh made a steady start taking 28 runs from the first six overs before the spin of Ashleigh Gardner and Jess Jonassen was introduced.

Gardner would get the first wicket of the innings, dismissing Murshida Khatun for 12 from 17 balls as Rachael Haynes held on to a good catch.

That brought Fargana Hoque to the crease and she became the first Bangladeshi women to pass 1000 ODI runs before nicking Annabel Sutherland behind to Alyssa Healy for eight.

Australia then smartly reviewed to have Sharmin Akhter given out LBW, DRS confirming Jonassen’s delivery was hitting the top of leg stump as Bangladesh slipped to 58 for three.

The experienced heads of Nigar Sultana and Rumana Ahmed played calmly, taking five runs off the next 25 balls before Nigar departed for seven from 30 balls when trying to relieve the dot ball pressure.

Bangladesh continued to build promising partnerships, Rumana and Lata Mondol adding 33 for the fifth wicket before the former was caught by Jonassen at mid-off for Gardner’s second wicket of the day to leave the Tigresses on 95 for five with 8.4 overs remaining.

Lata was the final wicket to fall as Megan Schutt had her stumped after she top-scored with 33 from 63 balls, wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy whipping off the non-existent bails after they were removed due to the blustery conditions.

Salma was there at the end on 15 not out from 23 balls as Bangladesh set Australia 136 to win, no easy task given the weather.

But it wasn’t the wind that caused Australia problems, it was Bangladesh’s bowlers with Salma the principal architect of the initial collapse.

Healy was first to go after holing out to Jahanara Alam in the deep for 15 from 22 as Salma became the first Bangladeshi bowler to take a wicket against Australia with this the first ever ODI clash between the sides.

Meg Lanning’s 30th birthday did not come with a present from her opponents as she was clean-bowled for a duck by a peach of a delivery from Salma, only the fourth time the Australian captain has failed to trouble the scorers in 98 ODIs.

Only three more runs were added before Haynes departed for seven from 23 deliveries as Salma single-handedly reduced Australia to 26 for three.

The injured Ellyse Perry could only watch on as Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath were moved up the order and now had a real job to do. But McGrath only made three, given out LBW off the bowling of Nahida Akter.

Mooney instead combined with the hard-striking Gardner to build the biggest partnership of the innings so far, adding 29 runs.

But Gardner had to go when she was bowled by Rumana who broke the partnership with her 50th ODI wicket, the first woman to reach a half century for Bangladesh, repeating the feat Gardner managed herself in the first innings.

Mooney steadied a rocking Australia ship with a fifty from 60 balls, scoring only four fours as she realised the aerial route spelt danger, instead rotating the strike with Sutherland as the light began to fade.

The duo were there at the end after putting on the 66 runs needed for victory to see Australia home with 65 balls to spare to complete the clean sweep.

Bangladesh’s very slim hopes of joining Australia in the semi-finals were ended by the loss but they have another chance to pull off an upset against England in Wellington on Sunday.

Scores in brief

Australia beat Bangladesh at Basin Reserve, Wellington by five wickets

Bangladesh 135/6 in 43 overs (Lata Mondol 33, Sharmin Akhter 24; Jess Jonassen 2/13, Ashleigh Gardner 2/23)

Australia 136/5 in 32.1 overs (Beth Mooney 66 not out, Annabel Sutherland 26 not out; Salma Khatun 3/23)

Player of the Match: Beth Mooney (Australia)

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

Dubai, March 25, 2022 (PPI-OT):Despite coming through the group stages of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 unbeaten, Australia have faced each side at their best, claims Beth Mooney.

Mooney was needed to rebuild Australia’s chase of 136 after Bangladesh reduced them to 70 for five as Salma Khatun became the first bowler to dismiss top-order trio Alyssa Healy, Meg Lanning and Rachael Haynes in a single ODI.

In a game reduced to 43 overs due to rain and played in high winds, Mooney also battled low light to guide Australia home ending with an unbeaten 66 to win Player of the Match.

“I think we’ve seen in this competition that every team can win a game from anywhere,” she said. “We talk about it within our group that when teams come up against us, they find another level and we have to always try and match that.

“Obviously Bangladesh had us under a lot of pressure early in that batting innings with how well they bowled and the fields that they set as well.

“They’re really crafty bowlers, they know what they’re doing and know how to put us under the pump.

“I think we certainly do expect teams to play like that against us, there’s a reason every team’s here playing in this World Cup and that’s because they’re all proper cricket teams that can challenge anyone on their day.”

Salma single-handedly reduced the No.1 ranked side to 26 for three as she ended with figures of three for 23 from her nine overs, the best bowling performance for Bangladesh at a World Cup.

And Mooney was full of respect for the veteran off-spinner.

She said: “She was super impressive today. Obviously, she took three poles up front so whenever someone new came out, I said that she was the main threat that we had to nullify.

“She is a crafty spinner, has a lot of changes and can really settle on a length, which is probably what we let her do a bit today – settle on us a little bit more than we would normally, with that wind playing a factor as well.

“She’s extremely crafty and she bowled really well today so it’s no surprise to me that she has been a very successful player for Bangladesh.”

As well as Salma’s record performance, Bangladesh brought up two other milestones as they faced Australia for the first time in ODIs.

Fargana Hoque became the first Bangladeshi woman to pass 1000 runs in ODIs with eight today in her 47th game.

In Australia’s innings, Rumana Ahmed became the first Tigress to take 50 ODI wickets with the dismissal of Ashleigh Gardner, a feat captain Nigar Sultana was keen to celebrate.

“Obviously I am proud to have them in the team and they have played for Bangladesh for a long time and I guess we have a long way to go,” Nigar said.

“I’m always proud of Fargana Hoque and how she has batted through, it was brilliant and how she actually performs for the team every time.

“And Rumana Ahmed is a brilliant all-rounder that we have in our team and I think we have more opportunities to get all these kinds of milestones.

“So, I’m hoping there will be 1000 more runs for Fargana Hoque and 50 more wickets for Rumana Ahmed.”

Australia have concluded their group stage with a seventh win out of seven games and cannot be knocked off the top of the standings, but they must wait until Sunday’s results are in to know their semi-final opponent.

For Bangladesh, their push for the last four has officially come to an end but they have the chance to land a second victory in their maiden World Cup when they take on England in Wellington on Sunday.

Nigar called on her batters to improve after Lata Mondol, coming in at No.6, top-scored with 33 with only opener Sharmin Akter (24) joining her in scoring over 20 runs.

She added: “I think you can see how we actually fought in a lot of matches. It was close against West Indies and how we started the tournament against South Africa it was so close for us.

“Maybe we could play better here, but our batting unit collapsed and while the bowlers have done very well, if the batters can support them maybe we could have won two or three more matches here.

“But still we have one match to go, so I’m looking forward to bouncing back as a batting and bowling unit.”

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com