Gardner's 69-Ball Century Stuns England in Women's World Cup Thriller

The unbeaten 180-run partnership between Ashleigh, who hit 16 boundaries, and Annabel, who slammed nine fours and six, lifted Australia from a precarious 68/4 to completing the chase with 57 balls to spare.

England had seized early control after taking four wickets quickly, but the Ashleigh-Annabel duo turned the tide with a counter-attacking masterclass, combining power and placement in what will go down as one of the tournament’s standout partnerships.

Annabel, who had struggled for runs earlier in the competition, rose to the occasion, outscoring Ashleigh for much of the stand before the latter surged ahead in the closing stages. Ashleigh took just 22 balls to leap from fifty to three figures - a breathtaking acceleration from a player in sublime touch with the bat in the competition.

Earlier, the duo had contributed with scalps with the ball, while Alana King’s spell of 1/20 in 10 overs had stalled England’s progress in the middle overs. Despite a bright start, England’s bowlers couldn’t maintain pressure once Australia’s fifth-wicket pair of Annabel and Ashleigh took the reigning champions home.

With both teams already through to the semifinals, the result may not alter their qualification. But Australia sent out a strong message that the team will continue to find match winners under pressure and that they step up to deliver when it matters the most.

Lauren Bell began England’s defence in style by producing a peach of a delivery – shaping it away from Phoebe Litchfield and crashing into the off stump to dismiss her for just one. England struck again when Georgia Voll misjudged a slog sweep off Linsey Smith and bottom-edged onto her stumps.

Linsey dealt another major blow to Australia’s chase when Ellyse Perry gave a leading edge off a skiddy delivery and the left-arm spinner took a simple return catch to dismiss the star all-rounder for 13. These triple blows meant Australia ended power-play at 46/3, the first time they lost three wickets inside this phase of the tournament.

Beth Mooney and Annabel tried stabilising things with a 44-run stand for the fourth wicket before the former went hard on a backfoot pull, but was caught by mid-wicket for 20 at the stroke of the drinks break.

Annabel, though, continued to lead Australia’s charge by beautifully driving Charlie Dean for four, before nailing a sweep off Linsey for six. She brought up her fifty off 66 balls by using her feet well to reach the pitch of the ball to drive Charlie inside-out for a boundary.

Though England brought back Lauren, it was of no effect as Annabel stunningly drove her in the gap between extra-cover and mid-off for four, before flaying her through backward point for another boundary. From the other end, Ashleigh was proficient in her whip shots before pulling off Nat Sciver-Brunt for four to get her fifty in 47 balls.

The onslaught didn’t end here – Ashleigh again pulled Nat for four, before lofting her downtown for another boundary. Ashleigh again got easy runs when she brought out the drive and a brace of backfoot pulls to take a hat-trick of fours off Alice Capsey.

The duo continued to hit easy boundaries before Ashleigh brought up her century off a thick edge that raced through deep third man for four.

Annabel was dropped on 97 by Heather Knight at extra cover, and she eventually ended at 98 not out as Ashleigh finished off in style with a boundary coming off a lofted off-drive to ensure Australia maintain their unbeaten record in the tournament.

Brief scores:

England 244/9 in 50 overs (Tammy Beaumont 78, Alice Capsey 38; Annabel Sutherland 3-60, Ashleigh Gardner 2-39) lost to Australia 248/4 in 40.3 overs (Ashleigh Gardner 104 not out, Annabel Sutherland 98 not out; Linsey Smith 2-43, Lauren Bell 1-48) by six wickets

–IANS

- IANS