Australia prove they are the best after England’s false dawn

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England had a chance to show how far they had come since the disastrous Ashes campaign earlier this year, but yet again succumbed to a comprehensive defeat against Australia.

The setting was an ICC World Cup group stage 50-over contest in Indore, but the end was a remarkably familiar six-wicket defeat with 57 balls remaining.

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For a brief moment, it looked as though the tide had turned. England were defending 244 and had Australia 68 for four, but Ashleigh Gardner and Annabel Sutherland turned the tide and ensured that their side would return to the top of the table and remain unbeaten.

At the World Cup in India, England have yet again relied on their most experienced batters to get them out of trouble. Against Bangladesh and India it was Heather Knight, and against Sri Lanka Nat Sciver-Brunt.

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Facing the prospect of defeat to bottom-of-the table Pakistan, Charlotte Edwards would concede that her team “got away with one” when the heavens opened ensuring no result, and therefore a point for England.

Against Australia, Tammy Beaumont made her highest score of the tournament with 78, after an explosive start in which England scored 55 before the ninth over. But when Knight and Sciver-Brunt were out, England’s middle order frailties were exposed again.

Before the match, Sophia Dunkley averaged 11, Emma Lamb 7.25 and Alice Capsey 9.50. Against Australia, Dunkley could do little more than hold up an end as the number of dot balls began to build.

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She faced 48 deliveries for just 22 runs, without scoring a boundary. Lamb made just seven. It was a good performance from Capsey, who hit 38 from 32, but she was asked to do too much too late.

England’s middle order added just 26 runs between the 21st and 30th over, before the recovery spearheaded by Capsey and Charlie Dean – and it cost them.

Amy Jones had said before the match that it was “only a matter of time before the middle order fire,” but a change may be called for rather than faith.

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On the other hand, Australia’s middle order changed the course of the match. From 68 for four, Gardner finished unbeaten with 104, and Sutherland 98.

That has been the case for so long in Australia women’s cricket, when the team is under pressure, someone scores runs. More critically, it is not always the same someone.

Sutherland had not reached double figures with the bat all tournament, but when her team needed her to, she dug in.

Dunkley did dig in, but too much. Alana King ran rampant through England’s middle order, who were only able to score 20 runs off her 10 overs, with 41 dot balls.

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It was a case of deja vu. King had caused problems for England during the Ashes, and again in the subcontinent, they were unable to find an answer.

“I knew she was our key match-up,” stand-in captain Tahlia McGrath said after the match.

“She’s got a good record against England and matches up to their whole batting line-up. I was tossing up whether it was 10 straight but I held her back.

“She held her lengths relentless and found a bit of turn.”

Unlike Australia, England’s batting order is made up entirely of right-handers, which not only means King does not have to change her line, but it is the ideal match-up. Typically it is easier to deal with a ball spinning into you than away from you.

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It is one of the reasons sides – like Australia – cherish their left-hand right-hand batting combinations throughout the order.

It was the first time for Edwards’ England to test themselves against the best side in the world.

There were notable improvements from the winter. The fielding is undoubtedly of a higher standard, and there is a good reason fitness is not being discussed as often. Instead, it was in the execution of cricketing skills that England fell short.

04:56pm

Australia win by six wickets – Australia 248-4

Ecclestone and Sciver-Brunt have a conversation,  so Sutherland will have to wait for the chance to turn her 95 into a century.

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She goes big into the air, and Knight runs underneath it but spills the catch. Australia get back for two and Sutherland needs a boundary.

She then drills it along the ground and gets the single. Sutherland on 98.

Gardner goes up and over for the boundary and that finishes it.

Australia win by six wickets with 57 balls remaining.

04:53pm

OVER 40: AUS 241-4 (Sutherland 95, Gardner 100)

Bell starts her over with a full toss, that probably should have gone to the boundary.

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Gardner has a chance to bring up her century and takes it! It comes again off the outside edge, and it’s her second century of the tournament – the first came in the opening game against New Zealand.

It only took her 22 balls to go from 50 to 100.

After that, Gardner defends a waist high full toss – she’s giving Sutherland the best chance to bring up her own milestone, with only four runs needed.

04:50pm

OVER 39: AUS 234-4 (Sutherland 92, Gardner 96)

Gardner opens the face on a ball and guides it through point for four, and follows it up with another boundary up and over the short cover fielder.

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Gardner races to 89, and will she be able to get her triple figures.

Another boundary, this time off the outside edge, and Gardner is just three runs away from a century.

04:45pm

OVER 38: AUS 218-4 (Sutherland 91, Gardner 81)

Over to Lauren Bell to try and change what is rapidly becoming an inevitability.

She will wan tot show her variations. Sutherland opens the face and plays the ball along the ground into the covers to rotate the strike.

Gardner goes big and over the top, there are too fielders running after it but it drops into the space between them. She was too far underneath the ball, which was a back of the hand slower delivery.

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The next one is also slower and almost goes to the boundary, but is stopped by Dunkley.

Sutherland fires one through extra cover to move into the 90s. This might be turning into a battle to reach the three figures before the game ends.

04:40pm

OVER 37: AUS 209-4 (Sutherland 85, Gardner 79)

Smith has come back on for her eighth over.

Gardner drives up past the bowler for one, and Sutherland does the same a couple of balls later.

Just the four runs from it.

04:37pm

OVER 36: AUS 205-4 (Sutherland 83, Gardner 77)

Gardner plays Capsey through the gap between cover and extra for a well-timed four, it might have bene in the air but was safe.

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The next one is too short and dispatched to the midwicket boundary.

Capsey drags another one short, and Gardner picks out another gap, again through midwicket – it’s three boundaries in as many balls for Gardner and Australia.

That brings up the 200 for Australia.

04:34pm

OVER 35: AUS 190-4 (Sutherland 82, Gardner 63)

Linsey Smith has been brought back on to try and carve something out of nowhere.

But they are so comfortable as Sutherland plays the ball up to long off for another single, and Gardner does the same the next ball.

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Four runs from the over, and that’s really all Australia have to do.

04:28pm

OVER 34: AUS 186-4 (Sutherland 80, Gardner 61)

Alice Capsey has been brought on for the first time today, and what a situation to be put on in.

Australia need 62 from 101.

Capsey goes too short and straight, Gardner goes for another pull and it goes in the air but just short of the fielder on the boundary.

Another one is too short and not put away.

Three runs from the over, but the equation is still straightforward for Australia. They need 69 from 96.

04:24pm

OVER 33: 183-4 (Sutherland 78, Gardner 60)

Sciver-Brunt comes back on, and these gaps are just os easy for this pair to find, two singles from the first two balls.

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Then from the third, another one is too straight and Gardner brings up her 50 with a four through backward square.

She follows it up with another one, and Gardner does the job a second time. Sciver-Brunt has bowled far too many that were just too easy for the batters to pick off.

Gardner goes over the top and has her third four of the over – it was a half volley and she held the pose.

04:20pm

OVER 32: AUS 169-4 (Sutherland 77, Gardner 47)

Ecclestone gets the edge of Sutherland’s bat, but there is no slip and again it races away to the boundary.

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The 100 partnership between this pair has just come up, and it might yet prove to be a match-winning one.

Australia need 76 from 108.

04:17pm

OVER 31: AUS 163-4 (Sutherland 72, Gardner 46)

Sciver-Brunt will bowl her sixth. England need a wicket, there is not much more to it than that.

It is becoming far too easy for Australia to just chip away at this total without taking a risk.

Three singles from the first three deliveries of the over.

Sciver-Brunt bowls too straight and Sutherland just picks it off through backwards square for another four.

04:13pm

OVER 30: AUS 155-4 (Sutherland 66, Gardner 44)

England turn to Ecclestone to try and get the breakthrough needed, but she starts with a full toss that Gardner puts away through square leg.

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After putting her face in hands, Ecclestone rebounds to a more effective line outside the off stump.

No midwicket and another single.

04:10pm

OVER 29: AUS 148-4 (Sutherland 65, Gardner 38)

Sciver-Brunt brings herself back on.

The first ball is cut to backward point for two. Australia are having none of the same issues England did when it comes to rotating the strike.

They need less than a run a ball so do not have to take any risks.

Another single up to long on, and one into the leg side.

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The final delivery is an off cutter that jags back in and gets an inside edge of Sutherland’s bat, but thuds into the pads and avoids the stumps.

Need 97 from 126.

04:06pm

OVER 28: AUS 142-4 (Sutherland 61, Gardner 36)

There is a meeting between Dean and Sciver-Brunt before the off spinner will start her sixth.

There’s one that misses Sutherland and Jones and there will be a leg bye.

Dean changes to go round the wicket to Gardner and it thuds into the bat and pad and races behind Jones for four.

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Time to look at  the equation after the over: Australia need 103 from 132

04:04pm

OVER 27: AUS 135-4 (Sutherland 60, Gardner 31)

Bell starts her over too wayward again and there’s another wide.

Sutherland picks up another single through to the sweeper on the off side.

Sutherland finds the gap, and therefore the boundary, she did not have a lot to aim at through cover, but has found the gap.

Jones comes up to the stumps and Gardner plays it out for another single.

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Gardner is not going to let Sutherland get all the boundaries, and plays one through backward point for another.

03:58pm

OVER 26: AUS 123-4 (Sutherland 54, Gardner 26)

Sutherland comes down the pitch and hits Dean over short cover to the boundary. That brings up her first half century in ICC ODI World Cups.

She plays the ball along the ground through midwicket for another single.

This is becoming a dangerous partnership for England.

Gardner keeps the scoreboard moving by turning the ball around the corner for a single.

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Dean bowls it a bit full as Australia have another couple.

03:55pm

OVER 25: AUS 114-4 (Sutherland 48, Gardner 23)

Australia have been behind the rate of England since the start, but in the last over have just moved ahead on the worm.

Lauren Bell is being brought back on to try and take the wicket, and she starts with a wide down leg side.

Just three to the total including the wide.

03:50pm

OVER 24: AUS 111-4 (Sutherland 47, Gardner 22)

Sutherland has been targeting down the ground, but she pulls out a sweep and that has gone all the way over the ropes. It’s the first six of the innings and a good shot from the Australian batter.

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Sutherland got so low playing that and executed it perfectly.

The next one is carved out through backward point for two, 11 runs from it.

After 22 overs, England were also on 100, having lost two wickets.

03:47pm

OVER 23: AUS 100-4 (Sutherland 38, Gardner 20)

Dean is into her fourth after an expensive last over.

Sutherland comes down the pitch and plays the ball up to mid on, but there’s a fielder there and it will just be a single.

Gardner goes back and pulls to the square leg boundary, again for a single, and that brings up the 100 for Australia after 22.5 overs.

03:45pm

OVER 22: AUS 97-4 (Sutherland 37, Gardner 18)

After that more expensive over, Smith has been brought back on by Sciver-Brunt.

Sutherland plays the ball up to mid off, it’s a bit in the air, but there are no fielders there.

Gardner then comes down the pitch and hits over the top, it was almost in the reach of Dean who was fielding on the boundary. Instead, bizarely, she cannot judge the bounce and it skips off the surface for four.

Gardner then follows that up by whipping the ball through backwards square and the batters get through for three.

Nine from the over.

03:41pm

OVER 21: AUS 88-4 (Sutherland 36, Gardner 10)

Sutherland has gone on the attack now, playing a square drive for four from the first ball of the boundary.

Three balls later, it’s Gardner who gets in on the action with a pull through backward square.

10 from the over so far, and that’s what Australia needed.

03:37pm

OVER 20: AUS 78-4 (Sutherland 31, Gardner 5)

Gardner gets a single from the first ball of Ecclestone’s 6th over.

The required rate is now up pushing six an over.

After three dot balls, Ecclestone just goes a touch too straight and Sutherland can push into the leg side for another single.

03:35pm

OVER 19: AUS 76-4 (Sutherland 30, Gardner 4)

Gardner takes a single from the first ball of Dean’s second over.

Three singles from the over.

03:33pm

OVER 18: AUS 73-4 (Sutherland 29, Gardner 2)

Australia have not let the dots build in the same way England did, but they have lost wickets at a much faster rate.

Four runs from the over.

03:29pm

OVER 17: AUS 69-4 (Sutherland 27, Gardner 0)

With that wicket, Charlie Dean will bowl for the first time in the game, and she starts with a tight over, just the one run from it.

03:22pm

WICKET – Mooney out for 20 – OVER 16: AUS 68-4

Mooney starts the Ecclestone over with a single through midwicket.

Sutherland then plays the next delivery through midwicket to the boundary, it was just too short and sat up for the all-rounder.

England have another wicket!

Mooney has played the ball towards midwicket and it’s been plucked by Sciver-Brunt. It was too short and should have been punished, but it was just too close to the England captain.

03:19pm

OVER 15: AUS 62-3 (Mooney 19, Sutherland 21)

Sciver-Brunt appeals for a ball that hits Sutherland’s pad, but it’s way outside the leg stump.

Sutherland tries to paddle a ball and doesn’t get enough on it to go all the way to the boundary.

Australia are just tapping and running – what England did not do in their innings.

03:16pm

OVER 14: AUS 58-3 (Mooney 18, Sutherland 18)

Mooney takes the single and that gives Sutherland the strike against Ecclestone.

But she stays calm and finds mid off for a single.

Sutherland plays one back up past Ecclestone, but she was on the wrong foot and off balance so could not get down quick enough to try and take the catch.

03:13pm

OVER 13: AUS 53-3 (Mooney 16, Sutherland 15)

Sciver-Brunt has chosen to continue, again Mooney picks up a single and that gives Sutherland the strike.

She had not reached double figures in the tournament before today and is trying to carve out runs where she can.

A missfield at cover will give Australia another single.

03:10pm

OVER 12: AUS 51-3 (Mooney 15, Sutherland 14)

Ecclestone will bowl her second.

Mooney gets off strike first ball to bring Sutherland – the right-hander Ecclestone would much rather bowl at.

Sutherland throws her hands at one and the ball catches the outside edge but goes along the ground to the fielder at short third.

A good over from Ecclestone, just one from it.

03:07pm

OVER 11: AUS 50-3 (Mooney 14, Sutherland 14)

Sciver-Brunt will bowl her second. Australia don’t seem too concerned by her bowling, and pick up two singles.

She then fires one wide, the 50 is up for Australia after 11.

03:02pm

OVER 10: AUS 46-3 (Mooney 12, Sutherland 13)

Ecclestone is being brought on in the final over of the powerplay, she is most often used in the middle overs.

But England are on the attack here and want to get another wicket.

The first one is through the fielder at short cover and just stopped on the boundary by Dean.

The third ball is short and wide and Mooney drives through point for four.

Sutherland is rapped on the pads, the umpire is unmoved. and England send the decision upstairs.

It was a poor choice, with the replays showing a big deflection from the inside edge.

02:58pm

OVER 9: AUS 38-3 (Mooney 7, Sutherland 10)

This is a surprising change, but Sciver-Brunt is bringing herself on to take over from Bell.

Mooney manages to get another single. After the eighth over of the first innings, England were 55-0.

Sutherland finds another boundary, this time through backwards square.

02:55pm

OVER 8: AUS 32-3 (Mooney 6, Sutherland 5)

Sutherland finds the gap on the off side for a her first boundary.

Five runs from the over.

02:51pm

OVER 7: AUS 27-3 (Mooney 5, Sutherland 1)

Mooney with a single from the second ball of the over, and it’s the only run of the over.

02:48pm

WICKET – Perry out for 13 – OVER 6: AUS 26-3 (Mooney 4, Sutherland 1)

Mooney again rotates the strike with the first ball of the over with a single to mid off.

And Perry plays the next ball straight back to Smith!

It caught a leading edge and she goes back and gets herself in a horrible position then paddles it back to the bowler.

Perry is out for 13, and Australia are in a bit of trouble here now at 24-3.

Sutherland comes out to  the middle, and gets off the mark with a single to mid on.

02:44pm

OVER 5: AUS 23-2 (Perry 13, Mooney 2)

Bell is into her third over and already has a wicket. Mooney gets a single from the first ball of the over.

It’s the only run from the over.

02:39pm

OVER 4: Wicket! Voll out for 6. AUS 22-2 (Perry 13, Mooney 1)

Linsey Smith strikes! Voll goes for the big swipe into the leg side, and misses the ball.

Voll has gone for just six, with the ball that just went on and crashed into off stump.

Beth Mooney will join Ellyse Perry at the crease. Smith bowls a full toss to perry who is almost surprised by it and just plays the ball up to mid off.

02:36pm

OVER 3: AUS 21-1 (Voll 6, Perry 13)

Bell drifts one a touch too straight and Perry does what she has done so many times before and picks it off through midwicket along the ground for four.

She gets another one on the pads and almost looks disappointed to have missed out on the opportunity to capitalise.

Another one too leg side, and that will be a wide. Perry is calling for a new bat.

The change of bat does not matter and it’s almost identical to the first one, another four through midwicket.

02:30pm

OVER 2: AUS 12-1 (Voll 6, Perry 5)

It’s over to Linsey Smith and her left-arm orthodox.

She bowls a touch short to Voll who plays it into the leg side and will pick up a single.

Voll drills one back past the bowler for four. She is not holding back here and just playing her natural game – sending the umpire ducking for cover, and it only just missed!

02:26pm

OVER 1: Wicket! Litchfield out for 1. AUS 6-1 (Voll 1, Perry 4)

Lauren Bell will open the bowling for England. It’s Georgia Voll’s first World Cup match.

Litchfield is away with the first ball with a single to third man.

Georgia Voll cuts hard for her first ball, it’s over the infield and just stopped on the boundary by a good bit of fielding from Lamb on the ropes.

The next ball Litchfield just miss reads the ball completely and the ball crashes into the stumps.

Elysse Perry plays her first ball for four.

02:21pm

Australia to start run chase

England are out on to the field to defend 244. They might feel they left a few runs out there.

01:59pm

Australia need 245 runs to win

When asked what she was trying to do, Alana King said: “Pretty simple. Keep the stumps in play and try to extract as much spin as I can. I am happy to play that role for this team.

“Natural variation has been present in all of our games so keeping the stumps in play gives us lots of chances for dismissal.

“England got off to a flyer and we missed our lines in the powerplay. We honed in on the stumps later on and we pride ourselves on quality bowling. The batters will be getting the job done.”

01:52pm

OVER 50: England finish their innings with 244-9

Molineux will bowl the last and there is a miscommunication between the batters. Georgia Voll has time to throw to Molineux, who throws the stumps down.

Smith is run out for three.

Ecclestone gets a single and Bell has four more deliveries to face.

Bell turns the ball around the corner for a single. Ecclestone walks across her stumps and misses the ball, but England will pick up a bye.

The final ball of the innings is swept across the line by Ecclestone for four, nine from the final over.

England make 244 for nine from their 50 overs.

01:46pm

OVER 49: ENG 235-8 (Ecclestone 5, Smith 2)

England are in danger of being bowled out here, but Smith and Ecclestone have managed to deal in singles and benefit from a wide in Gardner’s over.

Gardner is trying to keep the ball away from Ecclestone’s arc, and there are four players on the off side waiting for the catch, but she gets it through them for her first boundary.

01:43pm

OVER 48: Wicket! Dean out for 26. ENG 227-8

Gardner comes back on and claims the wicket of Dean with the first ball of her ninth over.

Dean came down the wicket and went for a big shot into the off side and spooned it straight to Phoebe Litchfield.

01:41pm

OVER 48: Wicket! Capsey out for 38. ENG 227-7 (Dean 26, Ecclestone 0)

Molineux continues, Capsey uses her feet well to push the ball up to mid on.

Dean follows by playing the ball in the same area, although with a bit more of a clubbed effort.

Another shot through mid on for the third single of the over.

Capsey is trapped in front and the finger goes up, England have two reviews remaining and she decides to go for it.

She was already walking off when ball tracking came up, and the decision stands.

01:36pm

OVER 47: ENG 223-6 (Capsey 36, Dean 24)

Sutherland will have her last over here, and England take singles off the first two balls before Capsey shows the intent they had previously been lacking.

She goes big across the line for a boundary through midwicket, she picked the length and back of the hand ball and timed it perfectly into the gap.

This partnership is now up over 50.

01:32pm

OVER 46: ENG 211-6 (Capsey 30, Dean 19)

After that expensive over from Sutherland, time for Sophie Molineux.

Capsey starts the over with a single up towards mid off. Another single follows from Dean, that one pushed up to mid on.

There have not been many sweep shots today, but Dean manages to sweep one almost towards midwicket for another single.

Capsey then drags one fine, and too fine for the fielders or wicket keeper.

Nine runs from the over, and finally this run rate is starting to increase.

01:29pm

OVER 45: ENG 203-6 (Capsey 23, Dean 17)

Capsey carves out a boundary through backward point, and she follows it up with another one, this time through backwards square.

It feels like a long time since the boundaries were coming with this regularity.

Another slower ball, and Capsey doesn’t read that one, it thuds into her thigh pad.

Nine from the over.

01:24pm

OVER 44: ENG 194-6 (Capsey 14, Dean 17)

A full toss from Gardner and Dean tries to play it down the ground, but will just get a single as it goes straight to the fielder.

This pair so far have rotated strike well – the same could not be said about 10 overs ago.

Four runs from the over.

01:22pm

OVER 43: ENG 190-6 (Capsey 13, Dean 14)

Charlie Dean takes on the short ball from Sutherland and is rewarded with a boundary.

She follows it up with a single through third that she just opens the face on nicely. Dean has almost been England’s fifth best batter this tournament.

Sutherland drags another slower ball short and Capsey waits on it to play it nicely through backwards square for four.

Another slower ball that’s well-placed by Capsey, 11 runs from the over.

01:18pm

OVER 42: ENG 179-6 (Capsey 7, Dean 9)

Dean manages to get a boundary with a ball that she switch hits, it catches the bottom edge and goes through Mooney’s legs to the rope.

That feels like the most expensive over for a while, seven runs from it.

01:15pm

OVER 41: ENG 171-6 (Capsey 6, Dean 3)

The only relief for England is that this is the last over from Alana King, but how much damage can she inflict before she is bowled out.

Capsey manages to get a single, but the next one beats the outside edge of Dean. She is bowling exceptionally.

Four singles from the over – and these two did not try and take her on, just pushed her into gaps and run. In all fairness, that’s all England ever had to do to her.

A stunning bowling display from King, who took 1-20 from her 10 overs, and did not go for a single boundary.

01:12pm

OVER 40: Wicket! Dunkley stumped for 22. ENG 168-6 (Capsey 4, Dean 1)

Australia have gone back to the off-spin of Gardner, and she finds the breakthrough straight away.

An inspired change, Dunkley comes down the pitch, goes for a horrible swipe and misses the ball, with Mooney taking a straightforward stumping.

Charlie Dean has batted better than most of those in the three places above her this tournament, and she uses her feet well to get off the mark with a single.

01:08pm

OVER 39: ENG 165-5 (Dunkley 22, Capsey 3)

After those two breakthroughs, England will have to face Alana King again.

Dunkley tries to clip the first one into the leg side, but it’s well-fielded.

She taps into the off side and sprints through for a single.

Dunkley chips Alana King in the air but it is just out of reach of the bowler. Capsey was too late setting off for her run and only just gets through.

01:04pm

OVER 38: ENG 163-5 (Dunkley 20, Capsey 2)

Molineux beats the bat of Dunkley, it hits the pad but outside the line.

Dunkley gets a single and that takes her to 20 – her highest score of the tournament so far.

Capsey gets off the mark with a well-timed shot into a gap on the leg side, and gets through for two.

01:01pm

OVER 37: Wicket! Lamb out for 7. ENG 160-5 (Dunkley 19)

Edwards has backed the middle order, and this is their chance to show why.

Dunkley looks a lot more comfortable against the pace of Sutherland than the spinners, and she pushes one through the covers.

Sutherland takes the pace off and it goes straight through Emma Lamb and crashes into the stumps.

She played all around the ball that just moved back a touch. England have lost another wicket and that middle order is continuing to look very fragile.

12:56pm

OVER 36: ENG 154-4 (Dunkley 15, Lamb 6)

Australia will try and squeeze another one out of Sophie Molineux here, but they still have two more overs from Alana King to come.

England have brought up the 150, from 35.4 overs, after two singles, one each from the two batters.

Lamb has her first boundary, just turning one off the pads very fine, it had enough on it to beat the fielder.

12:52pm

OVER 35: Wicket! Beaumont caught for 78. ENG 148-4 (Dunkley 14, Lamb 1)

Beaumont miss-hits one and it goes into the air with cries of catch, but it’s just over the head of Tahlia McGrath at mid off, and England have got away with that.

Another big heave from Beaumont, and she misses the ball. They have decided to target the pace – will that bring the variations from Sutherland?

Another one outside the off stump, Beaumont goes for the paddle and misses it, but so does Mooney behind the stumps and it will be four more, it just caught the bat on the way through and that is a boundary!

But the next ball Sutherland takes the pace off it, moves mid on back and Beaumont has fallen perfectly into the trap.

She tries to go over the fielder on the rope and Georgia Voll takes the catch. She had to do a bit of a throw and hop to avoid the rope.

Over to England’s fragile middle order to try and rescue this innings.

12:47pm

OVER 34: ENG 141-3 (Beaumont 72, Dunkley 14)

Sophie Molineux has come on. England seem to be able to tap and run a little bit, but not enough to up the run rate, which is just over four an over.

Molineux is varying her pace well, and there are just four from the over, all singles.

12:44pm

OVER 33: ENG 137-3 (Beaumont 70, Dunkley 12)

Sutherland has been brought back on and she has taken a wicket for just 14 in her opening four overs.

She has all the variations and is used to bowling in this middle period. England have stagnated, but Australia will want another breakthrough.

Sutherland goes short and Dunkley ducks underneath it, with Mooney standing up and taking ti well.

Dunkley is struggling and England are just stagnating. Two runs from the over.

12:38pm

OVER 32: ENG 135-3 (Beaumont 69, Dunkley 11)

Gardner has not gone for many, but there’s a two from the first ball of her fifth over, Beaumont follows it up with a single, and that will bring Dunkley on strike.

It is 57 balls since the last boundary, but there were five runs from the over, and that will be drinks.

I wonder what instruction England will get, surely they will be told that at some point they have to start moving through the gears.

12:34pm

OVER 31: ENG 130-3 (Beaumont 65, Dunkley 10)

Beaumont has to dive to make the crease as Dunkley scrambles a single to get off strike to King.

It was only a push into the covers, and that might have been a bit of a risk. More concerning for England is that Beaumont might have scraped herself trying to get in and is receiving a bit of treatment.

After delay for the physio to check her over, Beaumont is beaten by the next two deliveries that beat the outside edge. The second there is a big shout from Mooney and King who think it might have just caught the edge.

Australia do send this one upstairs, but it has evaded the edge by a millimetre.

The next one goes to the boundary, but not off the bat and it again beats the bat, but has been given as byes.

12:26pm

OVER 30: ENG 124-3 (Beaumont 64, Dunkley 9)

The pair at the crease might have looked marginally less threatened against Gardner than King, but that does not mean runs are any easier to come by.

England are almost exclusively dealing in singles and twos. It feels like a long time since the last boundary, but that was a better over from their perspective, six runs from it.

12:23pm

OVER 29: ENG 118-3 (Beaumont 61, Dunkley 7)

Beaumont plays a bizarre shot to King, almost just prodding the bat down in front of her, and the ball balloons into the air but not far enough for it to fall into the hands of a fielder.

Beaumont has to pull out the paddle scoop and manages to get two runs for it, but those are the only runs from the over.

Australia have recovered well and all the pressure is on England. Alana King is down pleading with the umpire as Beaumont is struck on the pad trying to defend.

But they will not send that one upstairs.

12:20pm

OVER 28: ENG 116-3 (Beaumont 59, Dunkley 7)

Dunkley will have to face Gardner here, but the dots are mounting and the count is up over 110.

Dunkley does manage to get through for a single along the ground to wide mid on. There might have been two there if the batters had committed.

England have scored one boundary since the 20th over.

12:17pm

OVER 27: ENG 113-3 (Beaumont 58, Dunkley 6)

In the last 18 overs England have lost three wickets for 57 runs, and at some point they will have to keep the scoreboard moving.

But Beaumont does not show a sign of that yet, and the first three balls of King’s sixth over are dot balls.

Beaumont goes for the sweep, it goes into the air but there is no fielder there and she will get a single.

12:14pm

OVER 26: ENG 112-3 (Beaumont 57, Dunkley 5)

Dunkley is stagnating here on three from 15, and all that will do is heap pressure on Beaumont – and her run rate has dried up since Knight was out.

Dunkley manages to turn one through backward square for a single, and England will have to take every run they can get.

Four runs from the over all in singles.

12:11pm

OVER 25: ENG 108-3 (Beaumont 55, Dunkley 3)

Dunkley has struggled against legspin, and she does not look comfortable here, striding out and playing forward defensive shots.

The ring is tight and Australia clearly do not fear her going on the attack, but she manages to get a ball driven along the ground through the catcher to get off the mark.

One run from the over.

12:08pm

OVER 24: ENG 107-3 (Beaumont 55, Dunkley 2)

Time for Ash Gardner to have her first over of the day. An off spinner, and Dunkley has struggled in this tournament, averaging just 11 before today’s match with a high score of 18.

Dunkley manages to get a single off the final ball of the over – although that was the plan from Australia, because what they want is her to face King.

12:05pm

OVER 23: Wicket! Sciver-Brunt out for 7. ENG 106-3 (Beaumont 55)

Alana King tosses one up a bit and Nat Sciver-Brunt chases after it and hits it straight into the air.

She tried to go over the top and a touch of turn and she spoons it into the air with Sutherland taking the catch at mid-off.

Australia celebrate and they know what an important wicket that was.

12:01pm

OVER 22: ENG 104-2 (Beaumont 54, Sciver-Brunt 7)

Garth will continue, she’s into her seventh over here and the innings is not even halfway finished.

Sciver-Brunt gets a two from the first ball of the over and has her first boundary behind square from the final delivery.

11:56am

OVER 21: ENG 98-2 (Beaumont 54, Sciver-Brunt 1)

After bringing up her milestone, Beaumont strides forwards defensively and the ball spins past the outside edge. Lovely bowling from King.

Maiden over from the leg spinner.

11:54am

OVER 20: ENG 98-2 (Beaumont 54, Sciver-Brunt 1)

Kim Garth comes back on for Sophie Molineux, and Tammy Beaumont brings up her first 50 of the tournament with a perfect four through backward point.

Just using the extra pace of the seamer to guide the ball into the gap.

Sciver-Brunt gets off the mark with a push into the covers for one.

11:50am

OVER 19: ENG 91-2 (Beaumont 48, Sciver-Brunt 0)

King will have her chance against the new batter, and it’s another right hander – England are not blessed with a right-hand left-hand combination option.

Sciver-Brunt will want to make her mark against Australia as captain.

Just one run from the over.

11:46am

OVER 18: Wicket! Knight out for 20. ENG 90-2 (Beaumont 47)

After three dot balls to start the over, Knight comes down the track to the left handed spin of Molineux and turns it inside out to play the ball over mid off. A clever boundary.

But the next ball she is pinned back on the crease by a ball that thuds into the pads and Australia have sent this one upstairs.

It is hitting the wickets, the three reds come up on the screen and Knight has to depart for 20.

11:40am

OVER 17: ENG 86-1 (Beaumont 47, Knight 16)

Australia have turned to their trump card, Alana King, who caused so many problems for England in the Ashes earlier this year.

England start by finding the gaps for singles, but King has found a bit of grip here.

Three runs from the over.

11:35am

OVER 16: ENG 83-1 (Beaumont 46, Knight 14)

Beaumont prods forward to Molineux and chips up towards long on, there are cries of catch, but it was too far away from the straight midwicket.

To Knight the fielder has come up to mid on and she plays the ball through the gap for four.

Six runs from the over.

11:30am

OVER 15: ENG 77-1 (Beaumont 45, Knight 9)

Beaumont has played nicely here and she continues in that fashion by shovelling Sutherland to the mid on boundary, she might not have hit it cleanly, but it was enough for four.

Knight was almost caught on her heels going for a single but a fumble at extra cover allowed her to get through.

11:25am

OVER 14: ENG 68-1 (Beaumont 39, Knight 8)

Beaumont pushes down the ground for a single to long on.

Knight comes a long way down to Molineux but has been hit on the pad, there’s a half appeal from Mooney, but I don’t think anyone was convinced by that and it was going down.

Two runs from the over.

11:22am

OVER 13: ENG 67-1 (Beaumont 38, Knight 6)

Sutherland has rapped Beaumont on the back of the leg after she comes down the wicket and defends back to the bowler who shies at the stumps with the batter still in the way.

Sutherland gets the edge! Knight has edged one behind but it’s too wide for the diving Beth Mooney to catch.

She has bowled well so far, and gets another play and miss out of the former England captain.

11:18am

OVER 12: ENG 62-1 (Beaumont 37, Knight 2)

Time for the spin of Sophie Molineux now that the fielding restrictions allow for more players outside the ring.

Knight is able to just tap into the leg side and run to prevent the scoreboard stagnating.

Beaumont comes down the wicket and chips up and over wide mid on to the boundary. That will relieve a bit of the pressure that had been building.

11:14am

OVER 11: ENG 56-1 (Beaumont 32, Knight 1)

Sutherland might have started with a delivery that was short and wide but she has kept the margins tight since then and is giving hardly anything away.

Knight gets a single to bring Beaumont on strike, but they are being pegged back a bit after an explosive start.

Just the one run from the over after back to back maidens.

11:10am

OVER 10: ENG 55-1 (Beaumont 32, Knight 0)

Since taking that wicket, Garth has also found her length, and it’s back to back maidens to finish the powerplay.

11:06am

OVER 9: Wicket! Jones out for 18. ENG 55-1 (Beaumont 32)

Sutherland has been brought into the attack, it might be a bit earlier than she had planned for, but she has been economical this tournament.

A touch quicker, bowling up at 70mph, she starts well against Jones, and gets her to waft at one outside the off stump that she misses. That will encourage Australia.

She takes a wicket with her final ball of an over to claim a wicket maiden!

Jones has been bowled, playing all around the delivery which just clips the bails on the top of the off stump.

11:01am

OVER 8: ENG 55-0 (Jones 18, Beaumont 32)

Back to back fours to bring up England’s 50 in just 7.2 overs. This has been their best batting start of the tournament so far, and it is coming against the favourites.

And the fours just keep on coming, after one that was too straight, she goes wider and Beaumont waits on it to hit it through backward point.

10:57am

OVER 7: ENG 43-0 (Jones 18, Beaumont 20)

Australia have just one of the two fielders allowed outside the ring, but only have one for Beaumont, she does find that one, a wide long leg for a single.

Two runs from that over, Schutt’s least expensive so far.

10:54am

OVER 6: ENG 41-0 (Jones 17, Beaumont 19)

Jones is able to get a single with a tap into the leg side.

Beaumont finds another boundary through backward point, this one off the final ball of the over. Another six runs for England.

10:49am

OVER 5: ENG 35-0 (Jones 16, Beaumont 14)

Schutt is into her third, but she has banged one in short and it just sits up off the surface, Jones has rightly smashed that one through midwicket for four.

The next ball she gets the leg-cutter right and Jones just has to defend the ball.

Jones finds another gap with a ball that was just too short, carving it through the covers for four, just standing tall and playing it late.

She follows it up with another, three boundaries from the over.

10:46am

OVER 4: ENG 23-0 (Jones 4, Beaumont 14)

Kim Garth seems to have found her length and line more in this second over, with Beaumont pinned back in her crease with Beth Mooney behind the stumps standing up.

Beaumont is taking giant strides forward to try and defend the ball. The free-flowing scoring of the last over has been stayed for now.

Maiden over.

10:43am

OVER 3: ENG 23-0 (Jones 4, Beaumont 14)

Jones whips the first ball of Schutt’s second over to midwicket, and it’s just fielded on the boundary.

Tighter from Australia just two runs from it.

10:39am

OVER 2: ENG 21-0 (Jones 2, Beaumont 14)

After Schutt’s inswing, it’s over to Garth’s outswing.

Jones gets a single first ball through the covers, but she oversteps next ball and there’s a free hit.

Beaumont dispatches the free hit for six down the ground, she follows it up later in the over with a drive along the ground through extra cover.

Australia just need to find their line and length here, it’s not been a good start.

There’s another four off a ball that thuds into the pads of Beaumont and bounces to the ropes.

10:34am

OVER 1: ENG 5-0 (Jones 1, Beaumont 4)

Megan Schutt will open the bowling for Australia, and the first ball is a bit too straight and Jones just tucks off her hip for a single.

Schutt then drops the ball too short and Beaumont pulls it to the square leg boundary for four.

Five from the opening over.

10:28am

England vs Australia

The national anthems are done and it’s time for the match to start.

10:24am

Heather Knight shines as England hold nerve to reach World Cup semi-finals

Here is a look back at how England qualified for the semi-finals with a win over hosts India.

Heather Knight led from the front with the bat as England held their nerve to beat India by four runs and reach the semi-finals of the Women’s Cricket World Cup.

In a similar manner to Joe Root, Knight seems to have found a rich vein of form since losing the England captaincy after a dismal Ashes whitewash at the start of the year. Relieved of the responsibility and outside the leadership group, she has one role: to score runs. On that front she has hardly put a foot wrong at the World Cup.

Against Bangladesh it was Knight who rescued England from 78 for five, to chase down the 179 required. In Indore, she was again confident against the spin and seam. She went on the attack after playing herself in and made a well-worked 109 as England reached 288 for eight.

To read the full article, click here.

10:21am

Australia team

Australia have made three changes, including the enforced switch of Voll for Healy.

Kim Garth and Sophie Molineux have come in for Georgia Wareham and Darcie Brown.

Australia: Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Voll, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Ash Gardner, Tahlia McGrath (c), Sophie Molineux, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt.

10:11am

England unchanged

England: Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Sophia Dunkley, Emma Lamb, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell.

Nat Sciver-Brunt said at the toss: “I wanted to bowl as well, probably for similar reasons, probably a bit of dew later on.

“Partnerships will be really important, stay in the game as long as possible. India got a big partnership.”

“We’re the same team. We discussed changes, but we want to go with confidence into the knock-out stages, I think we’ve got the right combination.”

10:10am

What makes Australia so good at women’s cricket

It is easy to see why Australia start every women’s cricket tournament as the favourites. They boast seven 50-over world titles and six T20 World Cup trophies. From 2010 to 2024, there was only one major ICC final contested without Australia taking part.

A generation of talent from Down Under has won every available trophy in the international game, and most have done so more than once.

The current World Cup is no different. They top the group table ahead of England on net run rate and have looked dominant.

To read the full article, click here.

10:06am

Australia win the toss and will bowl first

With Alyssa Healy out injured, Australia have brought in Georgia Voll at the top of the order.

Stand-in captain Tahlia McGrath said: “We’re pretty happy to chase under lights and there is a little bit of grass left on the pitch.

“It’s really important in tournament play to keep the momentum going and we’ve got people in different roles today so really excited for that.”

10:04am

England take on Australia in the Women’s Cricket World Cup

Good morning and welcome to the live coverage of the Women’s Cricket World Cup group stage match between the last two undefeated sides in the competition.

On the face of it, there is little on the line for both England and Australia, who have already qualified for the semi-finals, but it is an ideal opportunity for Charlotte Edwards’ side to show how far they have come since the Ashes.

At the start of the year, Australia handed England a 16-0 humiliation down under. It forced a change of regime, with Heather Knight replaced as captain and Jon Lewis sacked as head coach.

Australia will be without captain Alyssa Healy, who was ruled out with a calf injury, but a win against them would be no mean feat. They are the defending champion and the favourites to repeat their feat of four years ago.

England have not been entirely convincing at times in this tournament, despite maintaining their unbeaten status. There have been collapses against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and against Pakistan the rain spared what could have been an embarrassing defeat in Colombo.

Up now though is a battle for positions at the top of the table with first playing fourth and second playing third in the semi-finals.