That’s all we have to say today. Thanks for joining me and on behalf of my colleague Jim, who is now in London’s land of the snooze, thanks for joining him earlier. Match report to follow soon, and we’ll be with you for more live bloggage throughout the tournament.
Australia skipper Meg Lanning will be more content, especially in the knowledge her unbeaten team have one foot in the semi-finals. They sit top, four from four and on eight points. South Africa are second with six points and India third with four, but both have a game in hand. There results from England v India and New Zealand v South Africa over the next couple of days will paint a clearer picture.
“We have got such depth,” Lanning says. “Anyone who comes in wants to contribute ... Rach and Moons did extremely well with the bat. Ideally I don’t want us to lose early wickets.”
She gives Australia’s batting performance a 7/10.
West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor is displeased with her side’s batting, just as she was on the weekend when they lost to India.
“Not the best batting display from us,” she says. “We pride ourselves with the bat [but] we didn’t assess the conditions well. Anything over 250 would have been good. We spoke about the fact that 130 was well below par but we tried as a bowling unit.”
They sit fifth with three games remaining.
Ellyse Perry is player of the match with 3-22. She’s been working on her consistency and variations, she says, especially with the new ball.
“I love training I think,” she says. “The more I bowl the better rhythm I tend to have. Sometimes playing Test matches have been really helpful for that.”
She believes a few straight matches on the Wellington pitch has helped Australia’s cause. It is like carpet out there, to be fair.
Perry also credits Haynes for her unbeaten 83-run knock.
Australia beat West Indies by seven wickets
Taylor bowls to Haynes. No run. She tries again and Haynes takes two to finish this match with a flourish. It is Australia’s fourth win of the tournament. They are undefeated. And they are appearing every bit the champions-in-waiting.
West Indies enjoyed some bright moments but simply not enough runs to set themselves up against a batting line-up which generally dominates just about every opponent.
30th over: Australia 131-3 (Haynes 82, Mooney 28) Mooney has notched her third four and a couple of singles later they have ... not done it. Haynes wanted a winning single but was sent back. Australia are level on 131.
29th over: Australia 125-3 (Haynes 81, Mooney 23) The batters know they have this hand and look comfortable as they trade singles against Stafanie Taylor, who has inserted herself into the fray. The right-hander goes low and full to Haynes and the Australian says “thank you very much, I’d like four runs please”. Australia need seven runs to win.
28th over: Australia 118-3 (Haynes 76, Mooney 21) Mooney winds up her bat and lets it uncoil, racing away for a single and then making it two thanks to a misfield at deep cover. Haynes wants in on the action too and cuts away a shortish Selman delivery for two runs, getting home in the nick of time. The end is nigh.
27th over: Australia 113-3 (Haynes 74, Mooney 18) The best of Australia’s batting today has come from this pair and they celebrate it with their partnership century. Haynes accounts for nine of this over’s 10 runs with two (2) fours off Matthews, who has returned to the attack. That’s eight fours for Haynes now. Australia need 19 runs.
26th over: Australia 100-3 (Haynes 65, Mooney 17) This would have been an uneventful over but for a worrying injury to Shamilia Connell. It happens in the outfield as she’s bending to scoop up a ball. As she does her right foot slips out to her right and her left leg is crunched up underneath her body. She’s clutching at her hip flexor as she hobbles off the field. As one of her team’s main bowlers, that’s a big loss in terms of the tournament.
25th over: Australia 100-3 (Haynes 63, Mooney 16) Haynes has a four. She is majestic and precise, with a quick shuffle and a scoop over mid-off for four. Mooney uses her feet well to bat away her own boundary that brings up 100 for Australia.
24th over: Australia 90-3 (Haynes 58, Mooney 11) They did need to rotate their bowlers though and captain Stafanie Taylor does so now by bringing in Shakera Selman. Campbelle has been hit in the ribs by the knee of Mooney, who was hurtling full pelt to her crease. She was almost out too. But it’s the wicketkeeper who cops it.
23rd over: Australia 86-3 (Haynes 56, Mooney 9) I’m genuinely impressed with the West Indies these innings. They have lost 11 of their previous 12 ODIs against Australia but are holding their own with the ball and on the field.
22nd over: Australia 83-3 (Haynes 54, Mooney 8) Haynes (finally) brings up her half-century. She does it in style, too, with a boundary while facing Henry. That’s her 17th half-century in ODIs, the fourth in World Cups and second against this opposition. Australia need 49 runs from 28 overs.
21st over: Australia 77-3 (Haynes 49, Mooney 7) Well I’m not sure if these batters have had some sort of conversation about a change in approach or given some secret tactical singles but this over is vastly improved. Ten runs from the six balls including a four from Mooney, who gets some air over mid-on.
20th over: Australia 67-3 (Haynes 45, Mooney 2) With 20 overs gone Australia have scored only 15 runs from the last five overs. They are ahead by four runs with the same number of wickets lost at this stage of the innings. This is, somewhat surprisingly, not over for the West Indies.
19th over: Australia 65-3 (Haynes 44, Mooney 1) Australia’s run rate is slowing though, as Ramharack keeps her cool and forces the batters to defend.
18th over: Australia 64-3 (Haynes 43, Mooney 1) Haynes is edging closer to a century. She takes two runs off Henry and forces a fielder into a dive at cover before another single later in the over.
17th over: Australia 59-3 (Haynes 49, Mooney 0) Can Beth Mooney help Haynes save the day? She opens her shift facing Ramharack but isn’t on the board yet after four balls.
Updated
Wicket! Perry 10 c Matthews b Henry
16th over: Australia 58-3 (Haynes 39, Perry 10) It’s another catch from Matthews. The third, to be exact. She’s at slips, lying in wait for Perry’s low edge. She looked as if she was trying for a drive but is punished for the error. The West Indies players are beside themselves. That’s another big scalp, just as this partnership was looking sturdy.
Henry bowls to Haynes and the ball flies off the shoulder of her bat. She scoots off for a run but is forced to turn around pronto and dive back to her crease. She would have been gone then. Her bat is, having been split in the process and she needs to fetch a new one, which means drinks!
15th over: Australia 53-2 (Haynes 34, Perry 10) Perry brings up Australia’s 50 with a single off Ramharack. It’s this bowler’s turn to bowl two wides now. This partnership is digging in after that initial burst of wickets.
14th over: Australia 49-2 (Haynes 33, Perry 9) Chinelle Henry is here now and turns her first delivery away from Perry. Perry and Haynes trade runs. The Windies bowlers are holding there own against this world-class batting line-up but there is a sense they are merely delaying the inevitable.
13th over: Australia 46-2 (Haynes 32, Perry 7) Karishma Ramharack comes into the attack now. She’s a medium pace, a right-armer, and she should get some drift courtesy of the breeze. She mixes it up with fuller and shorter deliveries and cedes two runs in her first over.
12th over: Australia 44-2 (Haynes 31, Perry 6) Connell doesn’t quite have her eye in and sends down two consecutive wides to Haynes. She eventually recomposes herself and the next attempt is off Haynes’s pads for a single.
11th over: Australia 37-2 (Haynes 28, Perry 4) Lovely shot from Perry, who tucks away a single to deep mid before Haynes comes on strike. Australia need 95 from 39 overs but they will hope to get it done far quicker than that.
10th over: Australia 33-2 (Haynes 25, Perry 3) That’s the end of powerplay and it’s time for Australia to dig in, if they can. Connell tries to pummel Perry but the latter gets her bat down in time and steals a single.
Updated
9th over: Australia 31-2 (Haynes 24, Perry 2) Matthews bowls a maiden to Perry. Not much more to say about that.
8th over: Australia 31-2 (Haynes 24, Perry 2) This lbw could be good though! Haynes is given out and the decision is made on the field but Australia review it anyway. There is no edge but as it turns out the ball was heading over the stumps so she is safe. Close call though. That was Connell with the ball this time. Haynes stays on strike and gives the bowler a taste of her own medicine with a four to deep square leg and 2 x 2 runs.
7th over: Australia 23-2 (Haynes 16, Perry 2) West Indies are reviewing a not-out lbw call on Haynes and it’s a bizarre one because, at least with my short-sighted vision, it appears clearly not out. Review shows there’s no contact with the bat but the trajectory of the ball is outside off. Original decision stands. Guess they had to try their luck. Matthews is still on point and keeps the over to a single run.
6th over: Australia 22-2 (Haynes 15, Perry 2) This is more like it. Over No 6 is the Haynes show, bringing you two boundaries and some excellent timing. A fielder dives in vein for the first and Matthews tries another short delivery outside off but Haynes is quick to it. Her anticipation is rewarded.
5th over: Australia 12-2 (Haynes 6, Perry 2) Australia haven’t even been given the chance to find a rhythm. Haynes looks to change that, getting to her knees to pump Matthews for two before taking a single. Perry sees out the over with nothing to show for it.
Here is the Matthews catch in all its glory.
Brilliant angle this. Hayley Matthews slip catch.#CWC22 #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/IxG0RgqqlC
— Krithika (@krithika0808) March 15, 2022
Wicket! Lanning 0 c Matthews b Connell
4th over: Australia 9-2 (Haynes 3, Perry 2) It’s Matthews with the catch again! This is huge. Lanning out for a duck in the second ball of this over, static and edging the ball outside off and watching helplessly as it flies to Matthews at slip. Ellyse Perry makes her way out to the crease. Perry did the damage with the ball earlier today and now she needs to stem the bleeding with the bat.
Updated
Wicket! Healy 3 c and b Matthews
3rd over: Australia 7-1 (Haynes 3, Lanning 0) No sooner have I had that thought, Healy smacks a relatively full Matthews delivery straight back to the bowler. It was travelling fast but it was a gift for Matthews and West Indies, and may be just what they need to break the back of the Aussie top order. Meg Lanning comes in at first drop.
2nd over: Australia 6-0 (Haynes 3, Healy 3) Shamilia Connell is up for a spell as Matthews moves to slip alongside Campbell. Haynes hits to third man for a single and Healy drives to deep cover for another but Australia’s batters are being asked some questions to which they might want to find answers.
1st over: Australia 3-0 (Haynes 2, Healy 1) Thanks Jim and a very warm hello from the southern hemisphere. I am across the ditch but I have my screen up and can see Healy and Haynes at the crease. Healy is on strike, and Hayley Matthews is opening the attack. She is getting a little bit of turn with the new ball. Healy only manages a single off the first four balls but Haynes gets away two with an open bat face thereafter.
Hard not to see anything but a thumping Australia victory but as ever, early wickets could set nerves jangling. I can’t see it. Ian Smith and Mel Jones can’t see it. Decent company.
With the first act now over I’m going to bid adieu and leave you in the company of Emma Kemp to guide you through this inevitable Aussie victory run chase.
Goodbye!
#TeamWestIndies are bowled out for 131 after a very disciplined bowling performance by #TeamAustralia.#CWC22 pic.twitter.com/zHjhTZPGUs
— ICC (@ICC) March 15, 2022
The spearhead who got things started for Australia.
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 15, 2022
75% of Ellyse Perry's deliveries were dot balls 😯 #CWC22 pic.twitter.com/ri53dq2CLC
Perry was fantastic, taking two in two to be on a hat-trick early on. Three quarters of her deliveries were dots. Accurate, stifling and dangerous. Alana King, Ash Gardner and Jess Jonassen then set about smothering the Windies with spin, in truth the batting side never got going.
West Indies all out 131
Jonassen picks up the final wicket, Ramharack smearing her into the leg side where Ash Gardner saunters in cool as anything and takes the catch. A very underwhelming display from West Indies after winning the toss and choosing to bat under bright skies and blazing sunshine.
45th over: West Indies 128-9 (Ramharack 3 Connell 0) Schutt in the hunt for this final West Indies wicket. Just a couple from the over, sliced into the off side by Ramharack.
Yes JJ! She knocks over Selman's leg stump and that's the ninth West Indian wicket to fall!
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) March 15, 2022
Windies 9-126 after 44 overs #CWC22 pic.twitter.com/ewofotBenF
Wicket! Selman b Jonassen 6 (West Indies 126-9)
Shakera Selman is cleaned up by Jess Jonassen! She bunny hops across her stumps and the ball darts into the uncovered leg peg. One left for the Aussies to pouch. It’s a wicket maiden for Jonassen who now has 1-15 from her seven overs.
44th over: West Indies 126-9 (Ramharack 1 Connell 0)
43rd over: West Indies 126-8 (Selman 6 Ramharack 1) Ash Gardner finishes her spell with 3-25 off her ten overs. Top twirling.
42nd over: West Indies 120-8 (Selman 2 Ramharack 0) You guessed it. Jonassen. Five dots. One run. Six overs peeled off for just 16 runs for Jess Jonassen. She has been allowed to do her thing unchallenged.
Updated
Wicket! Taylor lbw b Gardner 50 (West Indies 119-8)
Taylor brings up her fifty but then perishes straight after. Gardner gets one to straighten and Taylor misses it. The review shows three reds and her vigil-esque innings comes to a rather sedate, sorry end.
41st over: West Indies 119-8 (Selman 1 Ramharack 0)
Updated
40th over: West Indies 117-7 (Taylor 48 Selman 1) A single off the over. Snoooooze. Ten to go.
38th over: West Indies 117-7 (Taylor 47 Selman 1) Taylor picks up three runs into the leg side. It’s all very sedate. The wind billowing gently. Woozy, snoozy stuff. Or maybe that’s just the case in my front room as the clock ticks round past 1am. C’mon West Indies, give us something stirring at the end here! (I’m trying)
Updated
37th over: West Indies 113-7 (Taylor 44 Selman 1) Jonassen, wily and wheeling, keeps it tight as Australia look to wrap this innings up. Just two from the over.
Wicket! Alleyne ct Sutherland b Schutt 10 (West Indies 111-7)
Nelson strikes! Leading edge and the ball loops into the air, Sutherland takes a sprawling catch, the type that England would have got nowhere near btw, and West Indies lose their seventh wicket. Wicket maiden for Schutt.
36th over: West Indies 111-7 (Taylor 43 Selman 0)
35th over: West Indies 111-6 (Taylor 43 Alleyne 10) Better from Taylor, a hop and a skip and a lovely flourish as she strokes Jonassen away straight for another four. Fifteen overs to go. West Indies have made it to ‘Nelson’ in Wellington.
34th over: West Indies 106-6 (Taylor 39 Alleyne 9) Schutt it is and she reels off five dots before attempting a slower ball with the last, Taylor spots it and lofts it down the ground for four very very welcome runs.
33rd over: West Indies 100-6 (Taylor 35 Alleyne 9) Jonassen is plundered for four runs off her over. I jest. Nudges and nurdles won’t hurt Australia though. Some consolation as the hundred comes up for the Windies. Megan Schutt is going to come back on for the next over.
32nd over: West Indies 97-6 (Taylor 33 Alleyne 6) Gardner into her eighth over and she is as frugal as ever for her captain. Just two runs from it. West Indies not able to break the shackles.
31st over: West Indies 95-6 (Taylor 32 Alleyne 3) Left-arm darts from Jonassen and just single to the score.
#CWC22
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) March 15, 2022
Jess Jonassen, not in the XI in the previous match and brought back in today. comes on to bowl in the 32nd over with WI 94/6.
That's the ODI world No 1 bowler, yeah.
30th over: West Indies 94-6 (Taylor 32 Alleyne 4) Ash Gardner probes away. Just a single off the first one back after the refreshments. Jess Jonassen is going to have s twirl from the other end, replacing Alana King.
Updated
29th over: West Indies 93-6 (Taylor 30 Alleyne 3) More productive from West Indies, a squirt and a sweep and it is six runs from the over. We’ve got twenty to go if Taylor can hang around and eke these overs out. Time for a slurp. Drinks.
28th over: West Indies 87-6 (Taylor 28 Alleyne 2) Anything you can do... maiden from Ash Gardner.
At least Australia are doing their utmost to keep England in the World Cup #WWC2022
— Andrew Miller (@miller_cricket) March 14, 2022
27th over: West Indies 87-6 (Taylor 28 Alleyne 2) Alana King is so good. Just a single off her over. She has figures of 6-1-13-0.
26th over: West Indies 86-6 (Taylor 26 Alleyne 1) Aaliyah Alleyne is the new batter. Her side need her to stick around with her captain here.
Wicket! Henry run out (Healy) 10 West Indies 85-6
Oh no! A disastrous third run attempt ends with Henry an inch short of her ground with the dive. West Indies lose another.
25th over: West Indies 83-5 (Taylor 26 Henry 10) Henry unfurls another powerful straight drive for four. And then there’s very nearly a run out from a dodgy run! Taylor would have been gone with the direct hit but the throw is an inch too high.
Updated
24th over: West Indies 77-5 (Taylor 25 Henry 5) More like it. Chinelle Henry laces a rare wide one through the covers for four. Shot!
Updated
23rd over: West Indies 71-5 (Taylor 24 Henry 0) Can Taylor, the Windies skipper, shepherd her side to somewhere near a competitive score here? King spins her webs and there’s only one run taken.
Wicket! Nation b Gardner 0 (West Indies 70-5)
Another for Gardner! She fizzes one past Chedean Nation’s outside edge and into the stumps. Trouble. Lots of trouble for West Indies.
22nd over: West Indies 70-5 (Taylor 22 Henry 0)
Wicket! Campbelle ct Mooney b Gardner 20 (West Indies 70-4)
It was coming... Campbelle was on a road to nowhere, facing 51 runs for her 20 and soaking up balls but with no way of rotating the strike. She trots a few paces down and cloths a length ball from Gardner to short Mooney at short mid-wicket.
21st over: West Indies 69-3 (Taylor 22 Campbelle 20) Campbelle charges King and inside edges her just wide of leg stump for a welcome boundary. Them’s the only runs off it though as King keeps it tight. Score predictor flashes up 199, that still feels a long, long way away for West Indies.
20th over: West Indies 65-3 (Taylor 22 Campbelle 16) Strangulation by spin. Gardner asks a lot of questions. A sense of frustration building from the batters. I sense a big shot coming. A single and a leg by from it. West Indies hanging in but going nowhere.
19th over: West Indies 63-3 (Taylor 21 Campbelle 16) King is down on one knee imploring the umpire. There’s a review for lbw... did this hit pad first before bat? It looked pretty straight if so... nope it is bat and so no dice for the leggie with that one. A probing, pressing and skilful over from King. A maiden to boot.
18th over: West Indies 63-3 (Taylor 21 Campbelle 16) Ash Gardner into the attack so we’ll have spin from both ends. She starts with a wide fired down the leg side but then its dots all the way.
17th over: West Indies 60-3 (Taylor 21 Campbelle 13) Alana King into the attack with her lovely leg-spin. Perry will have two up her sleeve for later. If needed. King is straight on the spot in her first over, bustling in and getting some fast loop onto the ball. Campbelle picks up a solitary single.
16th over: West Indies 59-3 (Taylor 21 Campbelle 12) McGrath fires one down the leg side and Healy shows off some liquid glovework to take it and whip the bails off. No danger though. McGrath bowls a cutter that lifts and raps Campbelle on the glove. A couple of singles from it as West Indies look to re-build.
15th over: West Indies 56-3 (Taylor 20 Campbelle 11) Hold the phone -Ellyse Perry gets hit for a boundary. She drags one down and Campbelle gives it the full Armitage Shanks and the ball whistles away to the fence. That’s yer lot though as Perry serves up five dots after erring with her first.
15th over: West Indies 52-3 (Taylor 20 Campbelle 7) Just a single as McGrath keeps it tidy. It’s tough going for West Indies so far.
🌴West Indies' Powerplay score in #CWC22 -
— Female Cricket #CWC22 (@imfemalecricket) March 14, 2022
54/2 vs 🇳🇿 NZ
58/0 vs 🏴 ENG
81/0 vs 🇮🇳 IND
34/3 vs 🇦🇺 AUS** 👈 (today)#AUSvWI
14th over: West Indies 51-3 (Taylor 20 Campbelle 6)Perry continues into her seventh over. Good luck trying to prise the ball out of her hand. I imagine it’d be like trying to get a piece of Duplo out of my 11th month old’s clammy grasp. Simply put: not happenin’. Three off the over and fifty up for West Indies.
Here is Lanning’s catch slowed down. It’s even better at full speed.
#CWC22 #AUSvWI https://t.co/14nJE5uZTu pic.twitter.com/urIYzyM2uu
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) March 14, 2022
13th over: West Indies 48-3 (Taylor 19 Campbelle 5) Campbelle picks up three with a slash away through point off McGrath. Time for a drink. The Aussie juice will taste sweetest after that first passage.
A grainy grab of the grab.
nice one Meg, Perry's 3rd wicket #CWC22 pic.twitter.com/v4RGmSPQ3D
— matthew jones (@mjones41) March 14, 2022
12th over: West Indies 45-3 (Taylor 19 Campbelle 2) Perry cracks on and she nearly has another! She cuts Stafanie Taylor in two like an olden days magician would a starlet, the ball clipping the top of her pad and somehow, somehow missing the timbers. Perry has 3-16 off her six. NOT too shabby.
11th over: West Indies 44-3 (Taylor 19 Campbelle 1) McGrath into the attack and she leaks ten from her first over. Taylor counter-punching and Campbelle off the mark.
10th over: West Indies 34-2 (Taylor 10 Campbelle 0) Shemaine Campbelle is the new batter with West Indies in considerable strife.
Updated
Wicket! Dottin ct Lanning b Perry 16 (West Indies 34-3)
WHAT A GRAB from Meg Lanning diving to her left at slip! No reprieves this time, Dottin has to go. Australia all over West Indies- like a cheap suit/rash/better cricket side.
Brrrrrrr
Day for it #CWC22 pic.twitter.com/flhcYP590g
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 14, 2022
9th over: West Indies 31-2 (Dottin 16 Taylor 7) Schutt is miserly and joins the dots for a maiden.
8th over: West Indies 31-2 (Dottin 16 Taylor 7) A tight over from Perry. Dottin just snatches a single from it.
West Indies Women on the balcony in blankets like... #AUSvWI #CWC22 pic.twitter.com/x3ZJ1izwOh
— Caribbean Cricket Podcast (@CaribCricket) March 14, 2022
7th over: West Indies 30-2 (Dottin 15 Taylor 7) A quiet over from Schutt after all the excitement. Three singles to the total.
6th over: West Indies 27-2 (Dottin 13 Taylor 6) Perry canters in for another. A couple of singles and a leg side wide from the Aussie all-rounder. Then another wicket, or is it!? Perry traps Taylor with a full delivery that crashes into her back foot. It’s given out but they go upstairs and... and... NOT OUT! Ball tracking suggests the ball was sliding down on the angle. West Indies get another life.
Enjoy.
#AUSvWI #CWC22 https://t.co/14nJE5uZTu pic.twitter.com/otV0xbkw00
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) March 14, 2022
5th over: West Indies 24-2 (Dottin 12 Taylor 5) Two dots and then Dottin misses a very full dipping ball that hits her smack in front of all three! Alex Wharf the umpire raises the deadly digit but Dottin reviews. And she is saved by the tiniest of tickles, the finest of margins, as Ian Smith might say. A whisper of an inside edge means the decision is reversed and she survives. And thrives - flicking a full ball away to pick up a boundary.
4th over: West Indies 20-2 (Dottin 8 Taylor 5) I’ll try and post a video of that Perry bail trimmer, it really was a special delivery. Postman Pat would have been proud of it. Zing. A couple of singles and then four leg byes keep the scoreboard ticking. Perry has never taken an international hat trick, I really thought she was going to do it just then. What a player she is.
3rd over: West Indies 13-2 (Dottin 6 Taylor 4) What will Dottin do here? She pats back a few before slapping a length ball from Schutt over the bowlers head for a one bounce four! Good intent from Dottin. She flicks the final ball away for a single to keep strike.
2nd over: West Indies 7-2 (Dottin 1 Taylor 3) No hat trick this time for Ellyse Perry, she is livid with herself as she serves up a full bunger to Stafanie Taylor with the crucial delivery. The Windies skipper decisively flicks it away for three. And breathe.
Wicket! Knight ct Healy b Perry 0 (West Indies 4-2)
Two in two for Perry! She’s on a hat-trick. Knight nibbles one that goes across her into the beaming Healy’s mitts. What a start!
Wicket! Matthews b Perry 0 (West Indies 4-0)
Bowled her! Ellyse Perry darts a couple down the leg side for wides but then very much finds her spot. Pitching on middle and swinging just enough to beat Matthews’ defensive stroke and clip the off bail. A peach of a delivery.
1st over: West Indies 2-0 (Dottin 1 Matthews 0) Late swing with the first ball from Schutt, some serious hoop into Dottin who does well to clamp down on it. Schutt whirls away from wide on the crease. Dottin drops and runs into the leg side to get off the mark. More swing, a couple of feet of the stuff, into Matthews’ pads and they scamper another. Just two from the first.
Schutt has the new nut. Dottin and Matthews ae up top for West Indies with the bat. This could be good. Plaaaaay!
The players stroll out for the anthems, Australia in bright yellow and Windies in deep maroon. We’ll be underway in a couple of minutes. Where’s you moolah for this one? Australia to do their thing once more or West Indies to provide a bit of an upset? Let me know!
Updated
We haven’t lost any overs due to rain and the sun is out! The fantastic Ian Smith is on commentary on my tellybox and he says it is a beautiful day now. Smith says the Wellington pitch is the quickest and bounciest in this World Cup. But that means the ball comes onto the bat and big totals are possible. All sounds good to me!
Burn...
Huge fan of all the folks carefully plotting out the elaborate paths by which England can still win the World Cup, before they've won a single game. #CWC22
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) March 14, 2022
West Indies XI: Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews, Kycia Knight, Stafanie Taylor (c), Shemaine Campbelle (wk), Chedean Nation, Chinelle Henry, Aaliyah Alleyne, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman, Shamilia Connell.
Karishma Ramharack and Anisa Mohammed are benched.
Here are the Aussies. Jess Jonassen is back in, Annabel Sutherland too. Darcie Brown and AJ Wellington miss out.
All set to go in Wellington! The West Indies won the toss and will bat first.
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) March 14, 2022
Jess Jonassen and Annabel Sutherland back in the XI, first ball at 9:30am AEDT live on Fox Cricket or Kayo Freebies.#CWC22 #TeamAustralia pic.twitter.com/Mf0UFKUmJc
West Indies win the toss and elect to bat first!
Stafanie Taylor calls correctly under cloudy skies. Teams coming up!
As the players in Wellington keep warm by throwing around various spherical objects, why not have a read of Raf Nicholson’s report of England’s third loss of the tournament last night/this morning at the hands of the Proteas. It ain’t looking so good for Heather Knight and co.
Words from the England v South Africa upset earlier today #CWC22
— Raf Nicholson (@RafNicholson) March 14, 2022
Some interesting debate raging below the line!https://t.co/exze4Cyw6S
Gah! Where’d the sun go? It’s been a bit drizzly in Wellington and the news is the toss is pushed back by half an hour. The good news is that it isn’t currently raining and the forecast is pretty clear. It does look chilly though. A double jumper day by the looks of it. I almost feel smug sat here, very much in the northern hemisphere and very much in my slippers. Almost.
Rain in Wellington 🌧️
— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) March 14, 2022
Toss for the Australia-West Indies clash has been delayed by 30 minutes but the weather is clearing and we should have some action soon 🤞#CWC22 pic.twitter.com/MWunXiIebK
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the Basin Reserve in Wellington (by way of a sofa in South London) for this OBO of Australia v West Indies. This is the 14th match of what is proving to be a thrilling 2022 Women’s World Cup. The big question is, can anyone stop the Aussie juggernaut?
Meg Lanning’s side have swept away all comers in this format for the past few years and are three from three so far in the tournament, sitting satisfyingly atop the table whilst those below grapple it out.
Stafanie Taylor’s West Indies side have certainly had their moments so far in this World Cup and after seeing off New Zealand and England in closely fought squeakers™ they went into Saturday’s match with India full of beans. They were then well and truly hammered by India, centuries from Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana and a timid batting collapse bringing them back down with a bump. Deandra Dottin’s blistering 62 off 46 balls was the only real high point of their response and the Windies will likely need their premier all-rounder to step up today against the formidable Aussies if they are to snatch the points and announce themselves as real contenders for the crown.
Dottin has loomed large over the tournament already; runs, final over finishes and spectacular diving catches all part of her performance portfolio so far. Fingers crossed for more of the same pyrotechnics over the next few hours.
Jim here with the call for the first act. I’ll be back shortly with news of the teams and the toss, we’ll be underway at 11am local/9am AEDT/10pm GMT.
As ever do get in touch if you are tuning in, I for one would be glad of the company. My email is open and twitter ajar for your musings.
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