Perry, Gardner, Haynes headline Australia's fourth win in World Cup 2022

World Cup 2022 despite West Indies’ best efforts in the field. Rachael Haynes was the chief architect with the bat as Australia registered a seven-wicket win at the Basin Reserve on Tuesday (Monday 15). Earlier, Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner starred with the ball to restrict Windies to 131.

Opting to bat first after 30 minutes of rain delay, Stafanie Taylor and Co. found themselves in early trouble by the end of the second over. With Megan Schutt back to opening the bowling in the absence of Darcie Brown, Perry started the over with a dot ball and two innocuous wides down the leg-side. But on the second ball, she got the ball to shape away from the middle stump to hit the off-stump of Hayley Matthews.

Next ball also shaped away from the left-handed Kycia Knight and Alyssa Healy completed a simple catch behind the stumps. From 7 for 2, West Indies needed their most experienced batters in Deandra Dottin and Taylor to bat through the innings.

However, the pair survived a few close calls as Australia kept it tight. West Indies could score only 34 runs the power play. In the tenth over, bowling her fifth consecutive over, Perry struck again with the big wicket of Dottin.

West Indies never recovered from these early blows even as Taylor held the fort at one end. The West Indies skipper found some company in the form of Shemaine Campbelle. The duo helped them reach 70, but it took some time coming with Campbelle playing 51 deliveries for her 20.

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In the 23^rd over, Gardner struck twice to remove Campbelle as well as Chedean Nation to sink West Indies to 70 for 5. Chinelle Henry also came and went although she hit two boundaries.

Meanwhile, Taylor stayed patient and found a boundary each off Schutt and Jess Jonassen. Even as wickets fell around her, the allrounder eventually got to her fifty from 89 balls. Unfortunately for West Indies, she departed immediately, after Gardner trapped her in front of the wicket a couple of balls later.

West Indies were eventually bowled out for a paltry 131 in the 46^th over. Other than Taylor, four players reached double figures, but none of them scored beyond 20.

For Australia, Perry and Gardner took three wickets each. Gardner registered her career-best figures of 3 for 25 in the process.

In the chase, Australia got off to a disastrous start courtesy of a couple of moments of brilliance from Matthews. The off-spinner pulled off a sharp return catch against Healy before grabbing a stunner at slip to send Meg Lanning back for a duck.



With the score reading 12 f or 2, it was up to Australia’s trusted lieutenant Haynes to come to the fore and she didn’t let the side down. She survived a couple of DRS calls, a run out scare and a broken bat. Nothing could take down the southpaw as she led Australia to a win with her gritty innings.

Haynes started with a couple of boundaries off Shamilia Connell in the sixth over and hit the pacer for one more four in the next over. Even the loss of Perry didn’t affect her – the talismanic allrounder became Matthews’ third catch.

She found a good company in fellow southpaw Beth Mooney and they took Australia home from 58 for 3 with a 74-run unbeaten stand. Haynes reached fifty in 22nd over with a boundary off Henry. They didn't any take risks and ran well between the wicket and hit occasional boundaries on their way to a seven-wicket win.

Brief Scores: West Indies 131/10 in 45.5 overs (Stafanie Taylor 50; Ellyse Perry 3/22, Ashleigh Gardner 3/25) lost to Australia 132/3 in 30.2 overs(Rachael Haynes 83*, Beth Mooney 28*; Chinelle Henry 1/20 ) by seven wickets. POTM: Ellyse Perry