ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, Australia vs West Indies: 5 Talking Points

The Australian Women’s team humbled the Windies Women team by 8 wickets at Taunton in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017. Batting first, the Windies eves were bowled out for 204 runs after some tight and disciplined bowling by the Aussie bowlers. Hayley Matthews (46) and Stafanie Taylor (45) were the only Windies batters who impressed.

Ellyse Perry was the pick of the Aussie bowlers, ending up with figures of 3/47 in 9 overs. Kristen Beams and Jess Jonassen also chipped in with a couple of wickets each. Australia chased down the target with 8 wickets and 73 deliveries remaining as he Windies bowlers failed to put up any sort of resilience.

Nicole Bolton was the star of the chase with an unbeaten 107 to her name while Beth Mooney also impressed with a score of 70.

Let us now have a look at the five talking points from the match which grabbed a lot of eyeballs.

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#1 Controversy at the Toss

Action, thrill and drama was expected as the finalists of both the World Cup and the World Twenty20 were going to clash in this match of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017. However, not many would have expected the drama to start as early as from the toss. The Windies Women skipper Stafanie Taylor won the toss but may be she didn’t get to do what she actually wanted to.

According to Ebon Rainford-Berent, the former England player on commentary duties at the toss, Taylor had told the Australian skipper Meg Lanning that she would like to bat first. However, when it came to the interview of the official live stream, Taylor changed her decision saying that she wanted to bowl first. Lanning, however, stood firmly with a rock-solid determination demanding a clarification of the rules.

The match referee ultimately supported Lanning and said Taylor’s changed decision won’t count. So, the Windies Women had to bat first.

#2 No third umpire costs Australia a run-out

Chedean Nation

The Windies Women might not have even reached the total of 205 if Chedean Nation would have been rightly adjudged run-out. It was the second ball of the 14th over and Nation was at the risk of being run out at the striker’s end as she was returning for a second run after hitting the ball to square leg.

The Australian players appealed for it but they were turned down by Kathy Cross at square leg. However, the real controversy came up when replays from ‘midwicket cameras’ set up for the live stream showed that Nation was outside the crease when the bails were taken off.

ICC later clarified that umpires cannot pass the decision on to the third umpire as this is one of those matches of the tournament that was not broadcast. It had the minimal cameras required for live streaming and that’s it. The Windies were 39/1 at that time and another wicket would have meant trouble for the side. Nation eventually went on to score 39 (73) before being finally dismissed by Kristen Beams in the 33rd over of the innings.

#3 The Windies collapse: Lose 7/47

Deandra Dottin

The Windies were romping on nicely being on a score of 157/3 in 37 overs. Stafanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin were batting beautifully as they had stitched together a partnership of 34 runs at run-a-ball. Dottin was the aggressor in the partnership having smashed 29 runs of just 19 deliveries. However, she perished to a superb delivery from Ellyse Perry that cleaned her up.

Once Dottin departed, the rest of the batting line-up crumbled like a pack of cards, losing 7 wickets for just 47 runs. Captain Stafanie Taylor kept watching the destruction from the other end as none of Aguilleira (1), Daley (6) or Mohammed (9) could provide her any support.

Taylor was ultimately dismissed by Jesse Jonassen in the 46th over of the innings for a fighting 45 (57). Afy Fletcher (3) and Shamilia Connell (1) fell soon after as the Windies were bowled out for 204 runs inside 47.5 overs.

#4 Nicole Bolton’s century and her opening stand with Beth Mooney

Nicole Bolton

Requiring 205 runs to win, the Australian opening duo of Nicole Bolton and Beth Mooney got their team off to a flying start. None of the Windies bowler could trouble them as they went about their business at a brisk pace.

The duo put up an opening stand of 171 runs from 181 deliveries and took the game completely away from the Windies. The partnership came to an end with the dismissal of Mooney by Stafanie Taylor for a well-made 70 off just 85 deliveries. Her innings consisted of seven fours and one six and Australia Women were thus one down for 171 runs and required just 34 more runs to win with nine wickets remaining.

Bolton, on the other hand, converted the start she has got into a big one. She went on to score the third ODI century of her career and it couldn’t have come at a better time. She remained unbeaten on 107 (114) and guided her team over the line safely along with Ellyse Perry (5*) at the other end.

#5 Taylor’s all-round performance- only silver lining for the Windies

Stafanie Taylor

Skipper Stafanie Taylor’s all-round performance with both the bat and the ball was the only silver lining for the losing side. First, she played a fighting knock of 45 (57) when wickets kept tumbling at the other end.

It was a very measured innings from her as she hit a four and a six in her knock. However, she couldn’t help her team to bat out full 50 overs as she was cleaned up by Ellyse Perry in the 47th over of the innings. Nevertheless, no one can deny the courage and grit she showed in her fighting knock.

When everything seemed to be lost for the Windies with the Australian openers, Bolton and Mooney, on a rampage, Taylor provided the Windies fans something to cheer about. First, she cleaned up Mooney with a superb delivery and then dismissed Aussie skipper Meg Lanning (12) who was caught by Hayley Matthews. She ended up with a spell of 2-33 in nine overs