Antipodean Showdown!

Good afternoon fellow travellers, as always I hope all is well in your world! I’m afraid, the time has come, that we have to talk about Australia.

I know, I know, I don’t want to either but as a strictly evenly handed cricket writer I’m afraid I couldn’t ignore them forever. The good news is Aus were playing New Zealand, who we love!

Yesterday’s only match was indeed between New Zealand and Australia and it was a game with huge potential ramifications. NZ and Australia are in group A along with India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. If NZ win, it would set up a de-facto quarter final between Australia and India. If AUS win then it would leave NZ, Pakistan and Sri Lanka all with a chance of qualifying…….its exciting stuff!

I don’t want to say this is a match of Good Vs Evil, so I won’t. Australia won the toss and opted to bat. I’m usually an advocate for batting first but AUS are capable of chasing anything, their batting line up is unfairly good. Sophie Molineux for example is a allrounder who regularly opens the batting in franchise cricket, she carded for Australia at number 10!

Where Australia could potentially have a weakness is, that big old chip on their shoulders! Real talk, they are the best, England are a close second but Australia are the best. Australia seem to need to prove that though and can, on occasion, in an effort to get huge totals lose their heads and their wickets. On this occasion, being put into the field might not be a terrible thing for NZ.

Australia, as ever started well. Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry and Ash Gardner scored 26, 40, 30 and 18. After the fall of Gardner NZ did managed to restrict AUS, with their next 6 batters only scoring another 27 runs. Regardless of some brilliantly entertaining bowling from NZ’s part time dibly dobbler Brooke Halliday, Australia pulled up with a very defendable 148.

New Zealand in response were relying on their veteran batters Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine. NZ also have promising prospects in Georgia Plimmer and Melie Kerr.

NZ had a brilliant performance against India last week but unfortunately for all concerned, The White Ferns couldn’t do it again against their closest rivals. Bates and Kerr scratch out 20 and 29 respectively but the only other NZ batter to make it out of the single figures was Lea Tahuhu with 11. The women from the south seas fell to a thumping defeat of 60 runs.

That leaves Australia well on top of group A on 4 points but it also leaves group A’s second qualifying place wide open. The action continues!

There are two games today. The Early match being played right now is between South Africa and Scotland. SA made a tournament topping score of 166 with Woolvardt, Brits and Kapp all getting into the 40’s. In response, I’m sad to report, our Caledonian sisters aren’t going very well. As I type Scotland require 89 runs from 30 balls. As I always say, anything can happen in tournament cricket but I would be very, very surprised if Scotland pull it off and that would end their qualification hopes.

The second game sees another subcontinental clash between India and Sri Lanka with both teams needing points to stay in the race, should be a good one!

As a proud Gold Star Yorkshireman I can’t not but mention the action today in the men’s Test between England and Pakistan out in Multan. England and Yorkshire legend Joe Root has today beaten his great mate and mentor Sir Alistair Cook’s record and is now England’s all time leading run scorer. He’s now 5th on the world list and at his relatively young age, in the form he’s in and with the class he has, you wouldn’t bet against him scoring the 3000 runs he needs to beat Sachin Tendulkar into second place. Joe is also currently 176 not out after achieving his first century in Pakistan……..he has the cricketing world at his feet.

Fellow England, Yorkshire and Northern Superchargers legend Harry Brook has also continued is unbelievable form in Pakistan making a fourth Century in the country. Brookie is still in and will return with Rootie tomorrow on 141. You know the old saying, Strong Yorkshire, strong England.

Thanks as ever for having a read today, all being even, more exciting cricket news tomorrow!

All the best,

Nick