Rachael Haynes’ commanding century has fired Australia to the perfect World Cup start: a mighty, if tense, 12-run win over Cup holders England.
And fittingly — on an emotional day for Australian cricket — a Victorian legspinner was front and centre of the success.
Alana King took three wickets, banging her black armband in honour of Shane Warne after her best — a drifting and dipping delivery that drew a crucial stumping from Alyssa Healy at Hamilton’s Seddon Park.
“She turned the game for us,” Haynes said after making her first World Cup century.
“Her delivery to dismiss Tammy Beaumont was just exceptional leg-spin bowling. It got some momentum back for our side.”
Haynes’ 130 and captain Meg Lanning’s 86 powered Australia to 3-310, leaving their Ashes rivals the daunting prospect of a world record ODI chase to win.
Led by centurion Nat Sciver, England made a fist of it, needing 16 runs off the last over to pinch an unlikely win.
At that point Australia turned to another spinner, Jess Jonassen, returning to bowl the last over.
The Queenslander produced magic, taking 2-2 in the 50th over, including a stunning one-handed catch off her own bowling.
“She wanted to bowl (the last over) definitely,” Haynes said.
“She’s been a real clutch player for us in the past and really stepped into those moments. When we were talking about (who would bowl) she was already walking to the bowlers end.”
The afternoon began with a minutes’ silence in tribute to the overnight death of legendary spinner Warne, and Rod Marsh, who passed a day earlier.
“They were two icons of the game who have made massive impacts …. hopefully we can do them proud today,” Lanning said at the toss.
After Healy departed, chipping to mid-wicket for a quick-fire 28, Haynes and Lanning set about building the foundations for an immense partnership.
The captain and vice-captain started slowly but made good on their labour at the half-way mark, lifting their scoring to both notch half-centuries in the 31st over.
They powered on, boundaries flowing until Lanning was dismissed in the 43rd over after a 196-run stand.
Haynes allowed herself a wee smile after her century, swinging freely until she finally found a fielder in the deep with just seven balls left of the innings.
Beth Mooney (27 off 19) and Ellyse Perry (14 off 5) pushed Australia to their second best World Cup innings — behind only their 1997 clubbing of Denmark, when Belinda Clark made 229 in Australia’s 3-412.
England made a calamitous start, with Annabel Sutherland taking a magnificent diving catch to remove Lauren Winfield-Hill for a first-over duck.
They should have been 2-6 when Beaumont edged Darcie Brown to Lanning in slip, only for the skipper to drop a regulation catch.
Beaumont didn’t look back, keeping England kept on pace with their Herculean task.
Tahlia McGrath made the breakthrough, tempting Heather Knight into an uppish drive that went straight to cover, where Lanning made amends.
From that point, England lost 4-84, two each to tournament debutants McGrath and King.
The irrepressible King was later struck in the shin by a Sophia Dunkley shot, only to get up and bowl her the next ball.
At that point, England looked shot at 6-232, only for Sciver to produce late-innings heroics.
Sciver thrashed an unbeaten 109 off 85 to make Australia sweat, but ran out of partners.
AAP
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