Australia clinch fourth title
All-rounder Ashleigh Gardner starred with bat and ball as Australia cruised to an eight-wicket victory over England in the final of the Women's World T20 in Antigua on Saturday.
Gardner and teenage leg-spinner Georgia Wareham combined for five wickets to restrict the English to 105 all out off 19.4 overs after they had chosen to bat first at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
Gardner then featured in an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 62 with her captain Meg Lanning as the Aussies reached the target with almost five overs to spare to lift their fourth World T20 crown.
Given her significant contributions in both innings the 21-year-old was the obvious choice as Player of the Match.
The Player of the Series honour was also a predictable selection with opener and wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy taking the title although the final represented her least accomplished performance.
After winning three consecutive Player of the Match honours in Australia's group matches, Healy dropped England topscorer Danielle Wyatt in the third over off Ellyse Perry.
Wyatt contributed a breezy 43 off 37 balls to her team's effort but only England captain Heather Knight managed any other score of note in getting to 25 as wickets continued to tumble.
Any chance of England defending such a modest total depended on removing Healy cheaply. She was bowled by Ecclestone for 22 - her lowest score of the tournament - and although opening partner Beth Mooney departed shortly after, Gardner and Lanning ensured the result was never in doubt.
"We did not have our best day in the field but the bowlers did a good job," said Lanning after receiving the trophy from West Indies batting legend Sir Vivian Richards. "The last two World Cups really hurt and we had to change a few things and move it forward."
SCORES IN BRIEF
ENGLAND: 105 all out in 19.4 overs (Wyatt 43, Knight 25; Gardner 3-22, Wareham 2-11, Schutt 2-13)
AUSTRALIA: 106 for 2 in 15.1 overs (Healy 22, Gardner 33 not out, Lanning 28 not out; Ecclestone 1-12)
Result: Australia won by eight wickets.
Player-of-the-match: Ashleigh Gardner.
Player-of-the-tournament: Alyssa Healy.
Comments