Australia hold on against England in Cup thriller

Australia have held their nerve in thrilling finish in Hamilton to begin their World Cup campaign with a 12-run victory over England, despite a stunning century from Natalie Sciver.

A maiden World Cup hundred from Rachael Haynes (130 from 131) and Meg Lanning's 86 had left England needing to produce a tournament record chase of 311 for victory.

Australia, led by Alana King (3-59) and Tahlia McGrath (2-51), then made regular inroads with ball in hand, but Sciver's mix of power and finesse ensured England remained in the hunt.

The right-hander reached her century from 79 balls, and with six balls remaining, England needed 16 to take the two points.

Meg Lanning tossed the ball to left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen, whose only two overs of the evening had gone for 16 runs, and the No.1 ranked ODI bowler displayed nerves of steel, taking two wickets – including a remarkable one-handed reflex catch to remove the powerful Katherine Brunt – to seal victory.

Earlier, Megan Schutt and Annabel Sutherland combined to hand Australia a dream start with the ball, as Lauren Winfield-Hill was well caught at mid-on from the fourth ball of the innings for a duck.

But a drop by Lanning at slip that gifted Tammy Beaumont a life on four proved costly, with the opener playing a lively hand to reach a half-century from 54 balls.

McGrath finally broke the 92-run partnership between Beaumont and Heather Knight in the 19th over when the England captain picked out Lanning on 40.

Beaumont loomed as the key for England and on a day that broke the hearts of cricket fans around the world, King delivered in the 28th over, deceiving the right-hander with an excellent piece of leg-spin before Alyssa Healy did the rest, whipping off the bails.

King, who upon taking the wicket gestured to the twin black armbands on her sleeve worn in honour of Shane Warne and Rod Marsh, collected a second in her next over, with Amy Jones (4 from 11) chipping a catch to Haynes.

McGrath's second had Danni Wyatt bowled for seven, then King – who just a ball earlier had been struck hard on the ankle in her follow through – removed Sophia Dunkley (28 from 32) in the same manner to collect her third.

But at the other end it was trademark Sciver, frustrating Australia with a combination of brute force and deft touches to ensure the match went down to the wire.

Earlier, Haynes' and Lanning's 196-run partnership steered Australia to 3-310, their second-biggest total in World Cup history behind the 3-412 they scored against Denmark in 1997.

Sent in by England, Alyssa Healy made a bright start, with a pull shot producing Australia's first boundary in the third over.

She earned a reprieve on 27, successfully overturning an lbw call off the bowling of Sciver, but it lasted all of three balls before she bunted a simple catch to Katherine Brunt at short midwicket.

Lanning and Haynes were scratchy early and took their time laying the foundation, working their way to 1-102 at the midway mark of the innings.

But the experienced leadership pair managed to keep their frustration in check despite the squeeze, then flicked the switch.

Haynes' half-century arrived off 73 deliveries, and Lanning's from 75, as the boundaries started to flow.

Their 196-run partnership, an Australian World Cup record and the highest scored against England by any nation, only ended when Lanning holed out from the bowling of Brunt on 86, ending her 109-ball innings that featured seven fours and a six.

But Haynes carried on to raise the bat for the second time in her ODI career, and after moving from 50 to 100 in 42 balls only increased her aggression, swinging freely on her way to 130 before she was finally caught in the 49th over.

Beth Mooney (27no from 19) kept the pressure on England, while Ellyse Perry chimed in with a late unbeaten cameo of 14 from five, helping Australia to 3-310.

England next travel to Dunedin to play West Indies on Wednesday, while Australia head to Tauranga to play Pakistan on Tuesday.

ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington. Travelling reserves: Heather Graham, Georgia Redmayne

Australia's World Cup 2022 fixtures

Mar 5: v England, Seddon Park, Hamilton, 12pm AEDT

Mar 8: v Pakistan, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 12pm AEDT

Mar 13: v New Zealand, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

Mar 15: v West Indies, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

Mar 19: v India, Eden Park, Auckland, 12pm AEDT

Mar 22: v South Africa, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

Mar 25: v Bangladesh, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL WORLD CUP SCHEDULE

Semi-finals

Mar 30: Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

Mar 31: Hagley Park Christchurch, 12pm AEDT

Final

Apr 3: Hagley Park Christchurch, 11am AEDT

All matches to be broadcast in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports