Dominant Aussies crush WI in semi

The result: Australia 5-142 (Healy 46, Lanning 31; Taylor 1-20) defeated West Indies 71 (Taylor 16; Gardner 2-15, Perry 2-2) in 17.3 overs by 71 runs at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua

The match in a tweet: Australia are through to the World T20 final! Healy stars with the bat again before a brilliant bowling display skittled the Windies for 71 #WT20

The hero: Alyssa Healy was under an injury cloud heading into the game having suffered a mild concussion in the final group match against India. But she looked no worse for wear when she strode out to open, giving the Australians a fast start with a 38-ball 46. Tight bowling and good fielding from the Windies made scoring difficult but Healy broke the shackles with a boundary in the 11th over and another two the next, only to be denied a third-straight half-century when she miscued a sweep off Afy Fletcher.

A bespectacled Healy then manufactured the first breakthrough for Australia, cleverly running out Hayley Matthews in the second over. Matthews had advanced down the crease to left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux and got some bat on ball, but when it bounced to Healy the Aussie ‘keeper whipped off the bails, running Matthews out for 4 (5). She also took a skied catch – you could almost hear the cry of ‘mine’ from the press box after her unfortunate collision with Megan Schutt against India – capping off another brilliant all-round game.

The big-game player: Ellyse Perry has a serious habit of standing up in the biggest moments and she managed it again in Antigua, striking twice with the ball in the first five overs to put Australia well on the way to victory. Her first over was a wicket maiden as she had the dangerous Deandra Dottin chopping on for 6 (11), before she struck again in the fifth, with Shemaine Campbelle caught by Molineux at square leg for 7 (9). After two overs, she had figures of 2-2.

The support cast: Australia’s bowlers were simply brilliant, never letting up their pressure on the West Indies. Perry led the way with her 2-2 from two overs, while Delissa Kimmince (2-17) and Ashleigh Gardner (2-15) were the other multiple wicket-takers.

The consolation effort: Stafanie Taylor picked up the wicket of Elyse Villani and was economical in her four-over spell of 1-20, while she was the only West Indian to reach double figures with the bat, scoring 16.

The moment: Windies captain Taylor loomed as the last great hope for the reigning champions, but she was sent on her way for 16 from 28 when teenage leg-spinner Georgia Wareham took an excellent catch. Taylor tried to hit Molineux back down the ground but her mis-hit went high and Wareham had work to do to get under the ball, but the athletic leg-spinner was faultless as she handed her housemate a second wicket.

The key cameo: Healy gave Australia a fast start with the bat and it was Rachael Haynes who bookended the innings with a rapid-fire 25no from 15 to take the Australian total to 5-142. A big 19th over from Haynes added 17 runs as she scored three boundaries off death-bowling specialist Dottin, who also bowled two wides to finish with 0-23 from her two overs.

The next stop: Australia are off to the World T20 final, where they’ll play the winner of today’s second semi-final between India and England. For the Windies, there’s a break from international cricket ahead but skipper Taylor and allrounder Matthews will soon board a plane bound for Australia, where they’ll play for the Thunder and Hurricanes respectively in Rebel WBBL|04.

2018 ICC Women's World T20  

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

November 9: Australia beat Pakistan by 52 runs

November 11: Australia beat Ireland by nine wickets

November 13: Australia beat New Zealand by 33 runs

November 17: Australia lost to India by 48 runs

November 22: Semi-final: Australia beat West Indies by 71 runs

November 24: Final: Australia v England, Sir Vivian Richards Ground