That’s it for today. Thanks for following us, as always. And we’ll see you back here for the next fixture and beyond!
Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof says her side are “taking the positives” after facing a global powerhouse.
“We could have stopped them but ... we are doing errors, especially in the batting. We play against South Africa on same ground [on Friday] and we want to believe that we can win.”
This is a special tournament for Maroof, who is there with her six-month-old daughter, who went a little bit viral thanks to a cute moment with the India team after the last match.
After #INDvPAK , Indian team playing with @maroof_bismah's daughter Fatima ❤❤ pic.twitter.com/4Iu1Atlrta
— Ghulam Abbas Shah (@ghulamabbasshah) March 6, 2022
Australia next play New Zealand on Sunday in Wellington and will get tomorrow off. Healy says the squad will play some golf.
Healy is, of course, saying this because she is being interviewed as player of the match thanks to her 72 from 79 balls.
“It was nice to get a win,” she says. “It didn’t feel very good out there but nice to get the much-needed points and take the momentum into NZ on the weekend.”
How was the pitch, she is asked.
“They’ve been tremendous. This was the third game on this wicket and we were expecting what we got. It probably gripped a little bit more than what we thought but with the traffic they’ve done a tremendous job.”
And that niggly groin?
“It’s fine, it’s just getting a little bit old so just making sure I’m taking care of my body. But it’s all good.”
That was textbook for Australia, who are top of the World Cup table on four points. Pakistan, meanwhile, have to work on some ... stuff. They did fare a little better than their last-out 100-run defeat by India, and their spinners worked for some reward. But remain last with no points, and will have to improve on their run rate to have any joy in remaining matches.
Australia beat Pakistan by seven wickets!
35th over: Australia 193-3 (Ellyse Perry 26, Beth Mooney 23) That’s that, said the rat. Australia had the precision and skill all day, and Mooney has both in the fall ball of this over, releasing a Dar delivery for a gorgeous cover drive that races away to the boundary. There are no big cheers, just some low-key fist bumps.
34th over: Australia 189-3 (Ellyse Perry 26, Beth Mooney 19) Mooney makes it a four while facing Sohail and the way this over is going it could be over before we make it to the 35th. It is not to be, but it will be the next with two runs required from 96 balls.
33rd over: Australia 183-3 (Ellyse Perry 25, Beth Mooney 14) Perry makes the most of this over, which is indicative of this match from start to finish. She hits Dar for four. More accurately, she hits Baig for four as the latter rushes to the ropes and has the ball in her grasp before letting it slip through her fingers. Perry follows that with a three.
32nd over: Australia 176-3 (Ellyse Perry 18, Beth Mooney 14) Pakistan’s slower bowlers are doing a decent job of this. It’s their fielding that’s letting them down. Perry pumps away for two runs and then a single with little resistance. Mooney mirrors her teammate. Australia need 15 runs.
31st over: Australia 169-3 (Ellyse Perry 14, Beth Mooney 11) Mooney and Perry have had an uneasy time at the crease so far and now face a different spinner in Nida Dar, who is forcing them to defend, disrupting the flow of the opening partnership.
30th over: Australia 165-3 (Ellyse Perry 11, Beth Mooney 10) Sandhu continues her assault. She’s trying to bowl quick and flat but then Sohail returns for a turn, successfully at first before Mooney send the ball through cover-point.
29th over: Australia 160-3 (Ellyse Perry 10, Beth Mooney 6) Mooney drives, slices and thrashes against Sandhu and elicits some fruits for her efforts. Australia need 31 runs.
Wicket! Alyssa Healy c Nashra Sandhu b Omaima Sohail 72, Australia 155-3
28th over: Australia 155-3 (Ellyse Perry 10, Beth Mooney 1) Hello again. Just in time for a wicket. I step away and look what happens. It’s Healy. She looked to be on track for a century, too. Excellent knock, nonetheless, and she has got Australia a big part of the way to this run chase. It is Sohail who claims her scalp when Healy tries for a larger-than-life shot but can’t mishits it a little to long-on where Sandhu is lying in wait. Beth Mooney makes her way out as Perry defends the next few and then gets one away for a single. Mooney then gets on her knees and off the ground with a sweep to fine leg for one run.
27th over: Australia 153-2 (Alyssa Healy 72, Perry 9) Healy gets away two sets of two runs and holds her ground for the rest of the over.
26th over: Australia 148-2 (Alyssa Healy 68, Perry 9) Healy offers a half chance off the bowling of Sohail, hitting a full toss in the air towards mid-wicket but it’s inches too high to be caught by Amin. Six off the over, 43 required.
Updated
25th over: Australia 142-2 (Alyssa Healy 64, Perry 8) Healy dances down the wicket and attacks Amin, smacking her to the cover boundary. Eight runs in total off the over and Australia inch towards their target.
Updated
24th over: Australia 134-2 (Alyssa Healy 57, Perry 7) Here’s Sohail again, flinging it down outside of off stump consistently, until a full toss on the final ball of her over. It’s there to be hit, but Perry fails to capitalise as she doesn’t quite time her pull shot.
Updated
23rd over: Australia 130-2 (Alyssa Healy 55, Perry 4) Anam Amin manages to stem the flow of runs until Perry finds the boundary through point after rocking onto her back foot and cutting to perfection. Just 61 needed now.
Updated
22nd over: Australia 125-2 (Alyssa Healy 54, Perry 1) Ellyse Pery comes to the crease with Lanning departed, batting at four after being shunted down the order in the opener against England, with more destructive batters preferred then. And she gets off the mark, pushing a full toss through mid-wicket.
Updated
WICKET! Meg Lanning b Omaima Sohail 35, Australia 123-2
Sohail’s bowling action can be deceptive! She floats one down the track, gets a heap of turn and bowls the Australian captain, who chops on! What a scalp!
Updated
Fifty for Alyssa Healy!
21st over: Australia 123-1 (Alyssa Healy 53, Meg Lanning 35) Healy picks up the single she needs for her 50 before Lanning, again, late cuts to the boundary, again beating a despairing dive on the ropes. Late cuts are a theme this over, and there are runs to be made behind square on the off-side for both batters off Diana Baig’s bowling, for a total of 10 this over.
20th over: Australia 113-1 (Alyssa Healy 49, Meg Lanning 29) Omaima Sohail is brought on, bowling with that distinctive action of hers. Lanning slaps here back over her head before Healy moves to within a run of her half century. Lanning then late cuts down to third man - Diana Baig gives a valiant chase, but doesn’t quite get there and, credit to her, signals to the umpire that it is indeed a four. And that’s the 50-run partnership up for these two!
19th over: Australia 106-1 (Alyssa Healy 47, Meg Lanning 24) Lanning now leans back and cuts Nashra Sundhu for a majestic four. These two are looking very comfortable out there. Just 95 needed for victory.
18th over: Australia 101-1 (Alyssa Healy 47, Meg Lanning 24) Thanks Emma, I’ll be taking over again for the next few overs. Glum faces all around the Pakistan fielders as Healy paddles for four to kick off this over. Two runs over mid-wicket and a further single makes it a fruitful over for Healy and Australia. And that’s the 100 up, with just 18 overs gone.
Updated
17th over: Australia 94-1 (Alyssa Healy 39, Meg Lanning 20) Hmmm Healy looks to have pulled up with something niggly in her groin after lunging forward for a short delivery (of which Sandhu is making a habit in this over). But still she is flicking away singles before Lanning gets away a lovely four.
16th over: Australia 87-1 (Alyssa Healy 37, Meg Lanning 15) Lanning has turned up and is doing very Lanning things. The kinds of things we have come to expect from the captain. Back-to-back boundaries. It’s almost three but for Baig’s slide near the ropes to cut the ball off in its path. That was a cut behind square. The next – the final ball – is a back-foot whack closer in from that same spot for another two. That’s 13 from the over from the over.
15th over: Australia 74-1 (Alyssa Healy 36, Meg Lanning 3) This is super batting from Healy, and Sandhu’s second ball practically asks for the Australian to execute signature pop into the air, hopping down her wicket and finding some PROPER AIR en route to a four. She follows it with a punch and a single, before Lanning blocks and punches out the over with nothing to add to her single off the first ball.
Updated
14th over: Australia 68-1 (Alyssa Healy 31, Meg Lanning 2) Sana to Lanning. No run. Sana to Lanning. No run. Sana to Lanning. No run. Sana to Lanning. No run. Sana to Lanning. No run. And no, there is nothing wrong with my keyboard. Lanning is on the back foot and punching with no return. Until the sixth ball, a full one she propels away for a single.
Updated
13th over: Australia 67-1 (Alyssa Healy 31, Meg Lanning 1) Pakistan have lifted over the last couple of overs. That wicket has clearly boosted confidence and Sandhu’s impressive bowling is helping matters. Still Lanning can’t make it happen. But here is one. She whacks one for a quick single but that would not have been the right call had a fast fielder not returned it wide.
Updated
12th over: Australia 65-1 (Alyssa Healy 30, Meg Lanning 0) Maroof has been excellent today, with her 78 with the bat and stepping up in the field. Sana, meanwhile, is stopping Lanning from scoring. She’s straight-batting and tries to drive through cover at one point but it’s not enough to get herself on the board. Healy is in the zone, though, with another four off the opening ball.
Updated
WICKET! Rachael Haynes c Maroof b Nashra Sandhu, Australia 60-1
11th over: Australia 59-0 (Alyssa Healy 25, Meg Lanning 0) Speaking off errors, that’s three chances dropped in eight balls. Not this one, though! Nashra Sandhu enters the fray and the left-armer makes an instant impact. In the third ball she drifts a delivery that dips and puts Haynes off as she leans into her shot and fails to get momentum off the bat. It heads straight for Bismah Maroof and the captain does not miss this one. Big scalp just when Pakistan needed it. They are checking the front foot and it is mighty close. Healy’s leg is in the way of one angle but another shows she has JUST stayed in her area. Lanning comes in and she’s started a little loose as another chance goes begging.
Updated
10th over: Australia 59-0 (Alyssa Healy 24, Rachael Haynes 34) These two batters are dealing with the pace with little fuss. Sana bowls then watches Healy lean back and pull a four through mid-wicket. The rest of the over is mostly defence. A single and a bit of blocking. Healy angles her bat to backward point and she makes a run for it until Haynes signals to stay. They will not give Pakistan another chance to atone for earlier errors.
9th over: Australia 54-0 (Alyssa Healy 19, Rachael Haynes 34) Hayne has a turn now and brings up 50 for the partnership with another two fours.
8th over: Australia 46-0 (Alyssa Healy 19, Rachael Haynes 26) Hello Healy! Amin is tossing, pitching, sliding, but Healy has fancy feet and she’s got her eye in too. She lifts one over mid-off for a boundary and does the same thing in the very next ball. That’s nine fours from Australia already. How long are we betting this will last?
7th over: Australia 38-0 (Alyssa Healy 11, Rachael Haynes 26) Nida Dar comes into the attack. She is using her angles and focusing her off-spin to Haynes the left-hander. But my oh my, she too has dropped the easiest of catches. Haynes faces a lovely drifting delivery and it comes straight back to the bowler, who puts it down.
6th over: Australia 35-0 (Alyssa Healy 9, Rachael Haynes 25) Had Australia been playing any other side she would have been out. In the penultimate ball of the over Anim rockets on towards her stumps and she’s forced to scoop it up into the air. Aliya Riaz is fielding close, she moves well and gets two hands to it, but all in vein. Should have taken that.
5th over: Australia 32-0 (Alyssa Healy 6, Rachael Haynes 25) Hello Haynes. Hello four fours. That’s 4 x 4. One is a no ball, but still. Pakistan may have to rethink their fielding set-up a little and Baig is leaking runs.
4th over: Australia 19-0 (Alyssa Healy 6, Rachael Haynes 13) With that batting order a 191 chase was always going to be a straightforward task for Australia. Healy steps it up a notch and slices a full ball wide of off for two then threads a short one behind square for three. But oh this could have been close! Haynes drives Amin to mid-off and races off for a single but Baig is quick on her feet and one would think Haynes was on thin ice had that the ball back in been slightly more accurate.
3rd over: Australia 13-0 (Alyssa Healy 1, Rachael Haynes 12) Australia have a strong batting line-up, with Lanning at first drop and Perry to follow thereafter. But for now, Haynes is out for blood. She drives a full delivery from Baig wide of cover for four. She is feeling her way through, testing the conditions.
2nd over: Australia 7-0 (Alyssa Healy 1, Rachael Haynes 6) Hello! And apologies for hopping in at the second over here after some technical difficulties. Healy and Haynes are at the crease and Diana Baig kicked off Pakistan’s attack and copped a four from Haynes for her troubles in a six-run over. Anam Amin conceded only a single in the second.
So, as expected a dominant display from Australia, who have limited Pakistan to 190, who are indebted to captain Bismah Maroof (78) and Aliya Riaz (53) in what was a gutsy partnership. The world No 1 ODI side will chase 191 for victory, and it would take a brave person to bet against them doing just that. I’ll leave you in the capable hands of Emma Kemp, who will take you through th run chase. Bye for now.
50th over: Pakistan 190-6 (Diana Baig 7, Bismah Maroof 78) Schutt is asked to bring it home for Australia. Baig goes big with a one-bounce four on ball No 4, and she follows it with another boundary through the covers on the last ball of the innings to bring Pakistan to 190 - an unlikely total at one point during their innings, but still short of a target they would be confident in defending.
49th over: Pakistan 178-6 (Diana Baig 1, Bismah Maroof 73) King is given the ball for the penultimate over and Lanning’s faith in her is rewarded. Just three runs, plus that wicket off it.
Updated
WICKET! Fatima Sana c Healy b King 14, Pakistan 177-6
Sana attempts a big hoik to the on-side but only succeeds in nicking to Healy, who takes with aplomb behind the stumps!
48th over: Pakistan 175-5 (Fatima Sana 13, Bismah Maroof 72) Oof, that’s close. Sana is causal on a run and very nearly gets caught out as Perry throws down the stumps! She is an inch in when the ball hits its target and she will stick around for the final two overs. A bunch of singles - six to be precise - keep Pakistan ticking over.
47th over: Pakistan 169-5 (Fatima Sana 10, Bismah Maroof 69) An eventful over, and a good one for Pakistan! Now it’s Maroof’s turn to survive a chance - a stumping of sorts as Healy fumbles the ball, but it still lands on the stumps. Maroof is marginally back in her ground, as a painstaking review process shows after a lengthy period of consideration. Otherwise, 14 off it, including a couple of boundaries.
46th over: Pakistan 155-5 (Fatima Sana 3, Bismah Maroof 63) Sana survives following a successful review, having been given out lbw to a peach of a Schutt delivery. The review shows she got a very slight nick on it. Maroof then smashes the ball to the boundary, wide of mid-off.
Updated
45th over: Pakistan 149-5 (Fatima Sana 2, Bismah Maroof 58) That partnership between Riaz and Maroof falls one short of 100. Carey continues as Sana immediately gets off the mark before the ball slips out of the bowler’s hand and flies all the way over Healy’s head for two no balls. Pakistan need eight an over to reach 190.
Updated
WICKET! Aliya Riaz lbw b Carey 53, Pakistan 143-5
Riaz can’t build on her half century as she goes back to a Carey delivery and the ball hits her back leg! A review is unsuccessful and finally Riaz departs!
Fifty for Aliya Riaz!
44th over: Pakistan 143-4 (Aliya Riaz 53, Bismah Maroof 56) Riaz brings up her fifth ODI half century in fine style, tucking Schutt down to fine leg for four! It’s been an at-times attritional innings, but an important one for her country. She reaches her milestone in 107 balls.
Updated
43rd over: Pakistan 136-4 (Aliya Riaz 48, Bismah Maroof 55) Carey is handed the ball with the brief to break this partnership. She can’t - not yet at least - as Riaz edges closer to her fifty. Five off the over, but just seven remaining to get towards a defendable total.
42nd over: Pakistan 131-4 (Aliya Riaz 47, Bismah Maroof 52) Riaz sweeps for a single, before Maroof plays off her pads for one. And that’ll be it for this over from Jonassen.
Fifty for Bismah Maroof!
41st over: Pakistan 129-4 (Aliya Riaz 46, Bismah Maroof 51) Maroof finally reaches 50 (from 96 balls), in some style with a late cut off the bowling of Wellington that races down to the third man boundary! The current run rate stands on 3.15...
Updated
40th over: Pakistan 123-4 (Aliya Riaz 45, Bismah Maroof 46) Jonassen is economical again. Ten overs left now and you’d expect these two to come out swinging sooner rather than later.
39th over: Pakistan 122-4 (Aliya Riaz 45, Bismah Maroof 45) Very nearly trouble for Maroof here as she sets off following a reverse sweep but there’s a fielder right there and she’s sent back. The throw is slightly high though and by the time Healy takes it and gets her gloves down to the stumps, Maroof has made her ground.
38th over: Pakistan 120-4 (Aliya Riaz 44, Bismah Maroof 44) Sorry I neglected to say exactly how much this partnership is worth - it’s now 76, after another couple of singles off Jonassen’s latest over.
Updated
37th over: Pakistan 118-4 (Aliya Riaz 43, Bismah Maroof 43) This is a gutsy partnership between these two - the third highest for Pakistan in ODIs against Australia.
36th over: Pakistan 115-4 (Aliya Riaz 42, Bismah Maroof 41) The sun comes out at Bay Oval to herald the return of Jonassen, who keeps a lid on that Pakistani run rate, which is now projected to yield a score of 160.
35th over: Pakistan 113-4 (Aliya Riaz 41, Bismah Maroof 40) With the more expansive batting comes the increased chance of a wicket and Healy has a half one here (a quarter-chance really) as Riaz gloves the ball behind the stumps. It’s down the leg side and the keeper can’t get to it though. A good over from Wellington though, with just three off it. Drinks will be taken.
34th over: Pakistan 110-4 (Aliya Riaz 39, Bismah Maroof 39) Riaz finds the boundary with a beautiful, effortless four as she dances down the track to hit King back over her head and Pakistan enjoy their most fruitful over for some time. Eight more runs are added to their total, with Riaz and Maroof tied in the race to reach 50 first.
33rd over: Pakistan 102-4 (Aliya Riaz 34, Bismah Maroof 36) Jonassen races through another over, and that hint of acceleration from Pakistan does not continue this over, with just a single to Maroof, from a mis-timed reverse sweep, from it.
32nd over: Pakistan 101-4 (Aliya Riaz 34, Bismah Maroof 35) Schutt limits the batters to just three in singles this over, but the 100 is up for Pakistan! Perhaps a little later than they would have liked, but a milestone nevertheless.
31st over: Pakistan 98-4 (Aliya Riaz 33, Bismah Maroof 33) Here we go. Maroof attacks Jonassen and slaps through the off-side for a boundary that brings up the 50-run partnership for Pakistan. A bit more aggression this over and could that signal a shift of gear?
30th over: Pakistan 92-4 (Aliya Riaz 32, Bismah Maroof 28) Time for Megan Schutt to re-enter the Australian attack and she nearly finds a breakthrough as Maroof inside edges past Healy, narrowly missing the wickets, and for four, past the despairing dive of Sutherland on the boundary.
29th over: Pakistan 86-4 (Aliya Riaz 31, Bismah Maroof 23) Good, tight over from Jonassen. She goes for just one.
28th over: Pakistan 85-4 (Aliya Riaz 31, Bismah Maroof 22) Healy’s up again, as Carey raps Riaz on the pads. The ball nips back off the seam but it’s not out, and Lanning opts not to review. The partnership between these two is now 42.
27th over: Pakistan 84-4 (Aliya Riaz 31, Bismah Maroof 21) Jonassen is brought back on and is immediately hit to the ropes, as Riaz late cuts beautifully for four. That’s the undoubted highlight of more fruitful over for Pakistan, with six off it.
26th over: Pakistan 78-4 (Aliya Riaz 26, Bismah Maroof 20) Pakistan begin this over predicted to reach a meagre total of 150 at their current run rate of three an over, which surely won’t be enough to beat the world’s No 1-ranked side. Carey goes for four this over, and we’re just past the halfway stage of the Pakistan innings.
25th over: Pakistan 75-4 (Aliya Riaz 24, Bismah Maroof 19) That rain scare seems to have been brief, with the sun poking through the clouds again now. (Let’s hope that’s not famous last words...) Again just one off the over as King takes her turn in restricting Riaz.
24th over: Pakistan 74-4 (Aliya Riaz 23, Bismah Maroof 19) Carey’s accurate here as the Pakistan pair continue to plod along. Carey does a good job in pinning them down and they are unable to get her away. Just a single to Riaz.
Updated
23rd over: Pakistan 73-4 (Aliya Riaz 22, Bismah Maroof 19) There seems to be a technical problem that means we’re going with on-field decision to the moment. Just the one run of King’s latest over. Pakistan’s current run rate is 3.17
22nd over: Pakistan 72-4 (Aliya Riaz 21, Bismah Maroof 19) Carey’s next over goes for three runs, during which the feed dies, so there’s not much more I can add. We’re back up and running soon enough though.
21st over: Pakistan 69-4 (Aliya Riaz 19, Bismah Maroof 18) King stays on. Healy goes up again, excited at the prospect of an lbw on a Riaz sweep, but without reason. She’s even more excited on the next ball when Riaz plays straight and is rapped on the pads, but the decision is not out, and Australia opt not to review, probably rightly so.
20th over: Pakistan 65-4 (Aliya Riaz 16, Bismah Maroof 17) Here’s Nicola Carey as the double-pronged spin attack is broken up (and a few specs on rain appear on the TV camera lens). Hopefully that’s not going to develop into anything heavier. Carey goes for four off her first.
19th over: Pakistan 61-4 (Aliya Riaz 13, Bismah Maroof 16) With two leggies on, we’re tearing through the overs now as Wellington nearly finds a breakthrough. Riaz attempts a cut shot but edges slightly but the ball flashes past Lanning in the slips. A few balls later Riaz nails the same shot, and the ball races away to the boundary.
18th over: Pakistan 55-4 (Aliya Riaz 8, Bismah Maroof 15) Just the two runs, to Riaz, off King’s next over.
17th over: Pakistan 53-4 (Aliya Riaz 6, Bismah Maroof 15) Wellington resumes after the short break and she is swept off Riaz’s bottom edge for two before a single keeps the scoreboard ticking over.
16th over: Pakistan 50-4 (Aliya Riaz 3, Bismah Maroof 15) Maroof gets down on one knee and sweeps King before the right-hander Riaz does likewise, eliciting a loud appeal from Healy and the bowler herself, but the umpire does not agree. Instead, it’s another run on the board and that’ll be the 50 up for Pakistan. And drinks!
Updated
15th over: Pakistan 48-4 (Aliya Riaz 2, Bismah Maroof 14) Wellington it is and a two-pronged leg-spin attack. A couple of singles off the over.
14th over: Pakistan 46-4 (Aliya Riaz 1, Bismah Maroof 13) Ah, here’s King from the other end, so it’s Jonassen who appears to have lasted just one over, with the two leggies now working in tandem (pending another change at the end of this over!). A top edge on a pull shot prompts excited cries of “catch” but Schutt can’t get there as she races in from the boundary and the chance goes begging. Just two from the over and King’s figures read 1-3 from two overs.
13th over: Pakistan 44-4 (Aliya Riaz 0, Bismah Maroof 12) After Lanning deems one over for King is enough at this stage (at least from that end), Wellington takes centre stage and delivers in spades. That wicket of Dar becomes a wicket-maiden and Australia are well on top here with spin coming out of Australia’s ears.
WICKET! Nida Dar c Lanning b Wellington 5, Pakistan 44-4
Another wicket falls! Wellington strikes in her first over, just as King did in hers before being brought straight out of the attack! It’s a brilliant bit of captaincy though, as Wellington floats the ball to Dar who gets forward but nicks off to Lanning in the slips!
12th over: Pakistan 44-3 (Nida Dar 5, Bismah Maroof 12) And it’s also time for Jess Jonassen from the other end. She goes for six off her first over, including a four to Dar who is up and running.
11th over: Pakistan 38-3 (Nida Dar 0, Bismah Maroof 10) Ten overs gone and King’s spin is introduced with an attacking field to boot. “Oooh, yes Kingy” is the chat from behind the stumps from Alyssa Healy as the spinner floats a delivery into the blockhole before she makes that breakthrough on the final delivery of the over.
WICKET! Omaima Sohail b King 12, Pakistan 38-3
What a beauty from King, into the attack for the first time today! She claims her victim with a lovely delivery that does for Sohail, through the gate, and Australia have their third wicket!
10th over: Pakistan 37-2 (Omaima Sohail 12, Bismah Maroof 10) More runs this over as Perry throws down a full toss which Sohail clips off her thigh before Maroof takes a quick - and ultimately comfortable - single as she just dead bats the ball into the ground and takes off. Sohail then drives through point - a mirror of Maroof’s earlier shot, with the same result. Four runs as the ball races away to the ropes.
Ninth over: Pakistan 29-2 (Omaima Sohail 7, Bismah Maroof 8) Sohail opens up and attempts to crack Schutt through the covers, but she’s thwarted by some good fielding, but a ball later she plays the shot of the day, a glorious cover drive for four. Perfect execution - you could put that one in a training manual. Runs for Pakistan!
Eighth over: Pakistan 23-2 (Omaima Sohail 1, Bismah Maroof 8) Perry puts it on a dime with impressive regularity this over and Maroof is unable to get her away. Six dots and a maiden - her first of the day.
Commentator: I was a bit surprised that Meg Lanning chose to bowl first!
— Megan Maurice (@meganmaurice) March 8, 2022
Dude, do you even Meg Lanning? I don't think she even knows you're allowed to bat first.#CWC22 #AUSvsPAK
Seventh over: Pakistan 23-2 (Omaima Sohail 1, Bismah Maroof 8) Schutt skips into bowl, in that inimitable fashion of hers, and swings in ball after ball. A loose one results in a wide, but otherwise that’s another very tidy over from Australia’s main strike bowler. Terrific figures for Shooter so far: one for four off four.
Sixth over: Pakistan 22-2 (Omaima Sohail 1, Bismah Maroof 8) Wow, look how fast this outfield is. Maroof opens the face of her bat to Perry and drives through point - Haynes gives hot pursuit the ball seems to turn on the afterburners and the reaches the boundary despite the veteran’s spectacular dive. A couple of wides make it six from the over.
Fifth over: Pakistan 16-2 (Omaima Sohail 1, Bismah Maroof 4) A maiden over for Schutt, the first of the match, as the Pakistan batters struggle to get her away.
Fourth over: Pakistan 16-2 (Omaima Sohail 1, Bismah Maroof 4) Captain Maroof stems the flow of wickets and gets off the mark with a lovely shot, hit to the boundary between mid-off and mid-wicket. But this has been an excellent start for Australia, whose openers are finding a bit of swing and causes headaches for Pakistan.
Updated
WICKET! Sidra Amin c Lanning b Perry 2, Pakistan 11-2
Gone! Two wickets in two balls! Perry lands the ball in a very similar place to Schutt’s last ball and Amin edges to first slip and the safe hands of Lanning this time!
Updated
Third over: Pakistan 11-1 (Sidra Amin 1, Bismah Maroof 0) Before Nahida falls, Amin takes on the fielding prowess of Jonassen at mid-off - the Australian fires at the stumps but it’s off target and Pakistan survive - briefly.
Updated
WICKET! Nahida Khan c Mooney b Schutt 9, Pakistan 11-1
Schutt tempts Nahida outside off stump and she catches a thick edge to gully, where Mooney is waiting to take the catch!
Second over: Pakistan 10-0 (Sidra Amin 1, Nahida Khan 9) Ellyse Perry now opens from the other end, and Nahida finds back-to-back boundaries, first pushing the ball through the covers before watching it race away, and then a more fortuitous shot, nicked through the gap where second slip would be for another four. An expensive opener from Perry, eight off it.
Updated
First over: Pakistan 2-0 (Sidra Amin 1, Nahida Khan 1) Megan Schutt is tossed the new ball, Sidra Amin takes guard at the striker’s end and will face the first ball of the match... which is a full toss from Schutt. Amin then gets off the mark with a punch to mid-off and a quickly taken single. There are cries of “catch” as Nahida gets forward to meet her first ball and plays it a bit uppish - but there are no legs on it to cause real concern for Pakistan. And a tickle of the legs gets Nahida off the mark as well to complete the first over, two off it.
Updated
OK, here we go. The players are out, the anthems have been sung, huddles have been performed and we’re ready to play.
A nice story from yesterday, when a portrait of the T20 World Cup-winning Australian team was unveiled at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, immortalising the famous victory in front of a huge crowd at the beginning of 2020.
The artwork by the two-time Doug Moran National Portrait Prize winning artist, Vincent Fantauzzo, is described as a “team of the century-style creation depicting the moment of celebration for all 16 squad members of the team”.
It will remain on display in the Members’ Reserve, close to the iconic Long Room, and is the first artwork to depict a women’s sporting team to be on permanent display at the MCG.
“The ICC Women’s World Cup final in 2020 was a special day and now to have a piece of artwork to remember the occasion is really exciting,” Meg Lanning said. “Whilst we couldn’t be there, having the artwork unveiled the night before International Women’s Day, which will mark two years since winning the final, reminds us of what can be achieved.
“We hope that we can make all our fans at home proud and emulate our performance from that World Cup in 2020 while we are here in New Zealand competing for the 50-over version. We hope it can inspire all visitors to the MCG to pick up a bat and ball.”
Weather update: Things look pretty fine at Bay Oval, where the temperature is 24C with a bit of a breeze and blue sky over the ground.
Lineups
Australia are still missing Ash Gardner, who is in isolation after testing positive for Covid. Australia go with two leggies in their starting XI, with Amanda-Jade Wellington and Nicola Carey coming in for Darcie Brown and Tahlia McGrath.
Ready to roll in the Mount!
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) March 8, 2022
Nic Carey and Amanda-Jade Wellington are IN and we're having a bowl first.
First ball at midday AEDT live on Foxtel or Kayo #CWC22 pic.twitter.com/mnCqc6nN7X
The big news in the Pakistan camp is that Javeria Khan, their record run-scorer in ODI cricket, misses out. Nahida Khan comes in to replace her.
We are batting first! #CWC22 #AUSvPAK #BackOurGirls pic.twitter.com/3IlNgmB226
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 8, 2022
Updated
Australia win the toss and will bowl
Meg Lanning sends Pakistan into bat - Lanning says spin could be a deciding factor on this wicket at Bay Oval.
Preamble
Game six of the Women’s World Cup rolls around - on International Women’s Day no less - and having done just enough to see off the reigning champions England in their first outing at the weekend, Australia’s bid for a seventh ODI title is very much on track as they head into today’s encounter with Pakistan.
Pakistan, conversely, got their campaign off to a poor start against old foes India, falling to a 107-run defeat at Bay Oval on Sunday, a loss that was comprehensive enough to see them fall immediately to the bottom of the fledgling eight-team table. Bismah Maroof’s side face a huge task against the world’s No 1 ODI side if they are to rise off it.
Rachael Haynes took the headlines - and the player of the match award - after Saturday’s 12-run victory thanks to her impressive knock of 130, with captain Meg Lanning not far behind after falling just 14 runs of a century of her own. Ellyse Perry and Beth Mooney also chipped in with destructive innings. In brief, there was enough Australian batting firepower on display - along with the supreme spin of Alana King - to suggest Lanning’s juggernaut is going to be difficult to derail this year.
Australia will be seeking to go top of the table with victory in Mount Maunganui today - India’s net run rate has them top, followed by South Africa and hosts New Zealand with Australia in fourth - while Pakistan are hoping to create a slice of history with their first ever win over Australia in the 50-over format of the game.
The toss isn’t too far away, so don’t go anywhere. In the meantime, feel free to email (mike.hytner@theguardian.com) or get in touch on Twitter @mike_hytner.
