Australia marched its way into Women’s World Cup history today as the the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars won a record sixth ICC Women’s World Cup title after it beat West Indies by 114 runs at the Cricket Club of India’s Brabourne Stadium.
Jess Cameron was named the player of the match with her 75-run knock.
After winning the toss and electing to bat the Australian side got off to a solid start, with openers Meg Lanning (31) and Rachael Haynes (52) having no trouble finding the boundary early on.
Haynes and Lanning built a 52-run partnership before the latter was caught out in the tenth over. Jess Cameron (75) joined Haynes at the crease and had an immediate impact.
Her innings included eight fours and two huge sixes before she was caught out by Kyshona Knight off the bowling of Shanel Daley (1-43).
Jodie Fields (36*) and Ellyse Perry (25*) added some valuable runs towards the end of the innings, with the Australian side finishing 7-259.
Australia’s total was the highest ever for a 50-over Women’s World Cup Final (the World Cups between 1973-93 were 60-over matches). Shaquana Quintyne (3-27) was the only multiple wicket-taker for the West Indies.
The West Indies eased into their run chase and it wasn’t until the tenth over that the Australian bowling attack broke through, with Ellyse Perry (3-19) claiming the wicket of Kycia Knight (17) leg-before-wicket (lbw).
Perry increased her pressure on the top order in the following overs with great success, catching Stafanie Taylor (5) off her own bowling and claiming Natasha McLean (13) lbw.
Megan Schutt (2-38), who finished the tournament as the leading wicket-taker, Lisa Sthalekar (2-20) and Erin Osborne (2-26) also claimed two wickets each before the West Indies were bowled out for 145 in the 44th over.
Having claimed the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka last year the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars now hold the World Cups in both the 20-over and 50-over formats.
Today’s match was Alex Blackwell’s 100th career ODI. She also notched her 100th WNCL match this season just passed and reached her 50th international T20 match during last year’s ICC Women’s World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.
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First Posted 18 February, 2013 6:05AM AEST
