WI Women lose second warm up game

Australia condemned West Women to their second straight World Cup warm up game defeat at Cardiff on Wednesday.

The six wicket defeat follows a 26-run loss to India on Monday in their opening warm up game, and means West Indies will head into their opening game of the competition against defending champions New Zealand on Saturday in less than ideal fashion.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, West Indies Women lost Qiana Joseph for five in the second over to slip to seven for one. They were soon in further trouble at 52 for 3 in the eighth over, after the dismissals of Aaliyah Alleyne for 10 and captain Hayley Matthews for 15.

With wickets falling regularly around her, all-rounder Deandra Dottin stroked a typically fluent 48 from 38 balls, including six fours, but her run out in the 17th over meant West Indies were in further trouble at 112 for six.  

The regional side offered little resistance thereafter and was eventually all out for 131, with seven of the eight Australian bowlers taking a wicket. Ashleigh Gardner was the most successful, taking 2-17, while Lucy Hamilton chipped in with 2-19.

In their turn at the wicket, Australia made a rapid start which put West Indies under immediate pressure. 

Beth Mooney retired out at the end of the sixth over, after smashing 34 from just 18 balls, with her innings featuring three fours and one six.

Fellow opener Georgia Voll stroked an unbeaten 77 from 48 deliveries including 10 fours and two sixes, as Australia eased to 132 for four in the 15th over.

On a day when West Indies struggled to make inroads with the ball, Qiana Joseph was the most economical, taking 1-6 from her two overs, while Karishma Ramharack took 1-19 from her two overs and captain Hayley Matthews 1-35 from four overs.

Australia have a formidable T20 World Cup record, having won the title on six of the nine occasions the event has been held. Their last victory came in 2023, while New Zealand clinched the title in 2024.

Ahead of today’s game, the two sides previously met on five occasions in T20 World Cup warm up matches since 2014, with Australia winning three and West Indies one, while the remaining game was abandoned due to rain.

(KH)