Picture Credit: Instagram/@icc
Australia Women put a dominating performance in the first innings of the ongoing final against England Women on Sunday by scoring a mammoth 356/5 in 50 overs. Australia's star opener Alyssa Healy hit a World Cup final hundred as she went on to set an array of records in the ultimate battle against England at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch. The wicket-keeper batter posted her highest ODI score, which was the highest total by a batter in any Women's ODI tournament final and World Cup final.
Apart from Healy, Rachael Haynes and Beth Mooney also contributed by scoring 68 and 62 in the first innings, respectively. With the help of top-three batters, Australia comfortably managed to post 350 plus score in a must-win game. In response, England had the kind of start they would have never imagined.
Tammy Beaumont and Danielle Wyatt opened the innings for defending champions, but Megan Schutt's brilliance with the ball spoiled England's hope too early. Schutt cleaned bowled Wyatt in the first ball of the third over of the second innings with an unplayable inswinger that hit the top of the middle-stump via a huge gap between bat pads. Daniel Wyatt could only add 4 runs in 5 balls before she took a long hard walk. England's scorecard read 12-1 in 2.1 overs when Wyatt returned to pavilion.
Watch the video here:
Joined by skipper Heather Knight, Beaumont was trying to steady the innings for her side and was able to add 27 runs on board before Schutt trapped her leg before wicket and provided her side much needed-breakthrough in the final after a few deliveries. Schutt bowled another inswinger, and Beaumont planted her front foot and tried to play around it, but the bowl struck in line with the pad. Beaumont's dismissal derailed England's chase and reduced it to 38-2 in 6.3 overs.
Here is Beaumont's wicket:
England's troublesome start didn't end there as skipper Heather Knight (26 off 25) and wicket-keeper Amy Jones (20 off 18) returned to the pavilion, putting their side in a challenging situation. At the moment, Natalie Sciver (129* off 108) and Dean (13 off 14) are making honest attempts to rescue their side in the most high-stake game. England is reeling at 257-8 in 39.3 overs and needs close to 100 runs.