England batting first in semi-final
Australian captain Belinda Clark has won the toss and put England into bat in the first semi-final of the Women’s Cricket World Cup at Sedgars Park, Potchefstroom. The Australians gained an early breakthrough with Laura Newton being dismissed, clean bowled by Cathryn Fitzpatrick in the third over of the morning for 4. After four overs, England were 20/1 with Charlotte Edwards on 13 and Claire Taylor yet to score.
Live scores of today’s World Cup semi-final can be found at the following websites:
* Cricket South Africa
* CricInfo
* Ananova.
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Australia chasing 159 for a berth in the final
Australia will need to score 159 runs this afternoon if they are to play in Sunday’s final of the 2005 Women’s Cricket World Cup.England have been dismissed for 158 in 49.4 overs in the first semi-final at Sedgars Park, Potchefstroom, after Australian captain Belinda Clark won the toss and elected to field.
Things looked much worse for England when they collapsed to 23 for 3, after an excellent opening spell by Cathryn Fitzpatrick. A short comeback by Clare Connor (35) and Arran Brindle (32) was followed by a mid-order collapse. England’s tail wagged, however, with 52 runs added for the last two wickets, veteran bowler Clare Taylor, playing only her second game of this World Cup, being the last person out, bowled by Emma Liddell for 29.
Fitzpatrick took 3/27 from her ten overs, the South Australian pair of Karen Rolton and Shelley Nitschke claiming two wickets apiece, the New South Wales trio of Emma Liddell, Julie Hayes and Lisa Sthalekar one each.
The winner of today’s game will meet the victor in Thursday’s second semi-final between India and New Zealand, also at Sedgars Park. The final will be held at Supersport Park, Centurion, on Sunday.
Live scorecard at CricInfo and Ananova.
Australia beats England
Australia has defeated England by five wickets with three overs to spare at Potchefstroom today to enter Sunday’s Women’s Cricket World Cup final.Chasing a target of 159, the Australians achieved a tightly-fought victory when Cathryn Fitzpatrick hit Kathryn Brunt to the boundary at the end of the 47th over. Belinda Clark, making her 28th World Cup appearance, equalling Sharon Tredrea’s Australian record, top scored with 62, while Lisa Sthalekar made 29. For England, only Isa Guha and Clare Connor captured a wicket apiece. Thirty-nine year-old Clare Taylor battled injury to take 0/31 from her ten overs. It remains to be seen whether this was the last game for England in Taylor’s long and distinguished career.
Australia now enter their third consecutive Women’s World Cup final on Sunday at Supersport Park, Centurion. They will play the winner of Thursday’s match at Sedgars Park, Potchefstroom, between India and New Zealand.
Brief scores: England 158 all out in 48.4 overs (C Connor 35, A Brindle 32, CE Taylor 29; C Fitzpatrick 3-27, K Rolton 2-28, S Nitschke 2-22) lost to Australia 159/5 in 47 overs (B Clark 62, L Sthalekar 29) by five wickets.
(Note: This article was originally written for the Cricketwoman website in 2005. It may contain links to Cricketarchive which have long since ceased to exist. Cricketwoman was a partner website of Cricketarchive at the time of the 2005 Womens World Cup. – RE, 2017-07-21)