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England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt He admitted that his team had fallen behind after Ash Gardner’s century and Annabel Sutherland’s 98. Australia Great win by six wickets in Indore.
The two sides – meeting in their first official match since Australia’s 16–0 Ashes win during January – were already booked for a place in the Women’s Cricket World Cup semi-finals.
England, who defeated co-hosts India on Sunday, batted first and recovered from a mid-innings collapse as openers. tammy beaumont First determined to score 78 runs Alice Capsey (38) and Charlie Dean (26) added late runs.
With all-rounder Sutherland taking three for 60 – and Alanna King taking one for just 20 from her 10 overs – England’s total of 244 for nine looked a bit light, especially with the change in conditions.
Lauren Bell hit a four in the first over of Australia’s run chase and then spinner Lynsey Smith took two wickets, reducing Australia to 68 for four.
However, Gardner and Sutherland – who was dismissed by Heather Knight in the last over of the innings – restricted Australia to 248 for four in 40.3 overs.
“I think we didn’t have enough runs,” Sciver-Brunt said in his pitchside interview with Sky Sports.
“Alana King bowled very well in the middle overs and really restricted us. It made it very difficult to build partnerships, but Tammy played very well for her score.
“With the lights coming on, I think the conditions changed a bit, although I think we bowled well in patches.
“But it shows the partnership of Ashe and Belsey (Sutherland), it took the game away from us.
“I’m terrible at numbers, but I would have been happy at 280.”
England concluded their group stage matches against New Zealand in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
“We’ll take positives and lessons,” Sciver-Brunt said. “We weren’t at our best today, but if we see them again (later in the tournament) we’ll be ready.”
Australia’s stand-in captain Tahlia McGrath praised her team’s focus.
“(I’m) very happy,” McGrath said. “The spinners did brilliantly with the ball. Had a bit of a shaky start with the bat, but then the bails and Ashe were world class.
“It was great to see her. It was clinical and I feel a bit for Bells, not getting a century because she thoroughly deserved it.”
Australian captain Alyssa Healy, the tournament’s leading run-scorer, has been ruled out due to a calf strain and may be in doubt for Saturday’s match against South Africa.
McGrath said: “I’ll leave it in the hands of the physio. I think she’s tracking well, but it’s day-to-day progress.”