Australia won the first heavyweight clash of the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup after routing South Africa for 107 in Manchester on Sunday.
Going for a seventh title in the 10th World Cup, Australia battled to put up 8-172, then won by 65 runs at Old Trafford.
Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner celebrates with tea-mates Alana King and Annabel Sutherland. Getty
South Africa was runner-up in the last two tournaments and beat Australia when they previously met in the 2024 semi finals. But the Proteas now must top the other group rival India on June 22 to stay in semi final contention.
Phoebe Litchfield missed Australia’s last warm-up due to a quad strain, but passed fit in time for their opening match. She was needed in the first over.
Georgia Voll was out for a duck in her World Cup debut and fellow opener Beth Mooney was gone in the fourth over. But Litchfield, undaunted, charged at Marizanne Kapp, pulled Shabnim Ismail for six, and scooped and swept Ayabonga Khaka to raise a 23-ball 50.
Litchfield was out next ball at 3-61 and Australia wobbled again, but Ellyse Perry and Georgia Wareham revived the charge with 30s in a 58-run stand.
Ismail retired after the 2023 World Cup and unretired at 37. The pacer took a wicket, but didn’t complete her overs because of a finger injury. Ismail batted, though, when the result was already settled.
South Africa recovered from 2-7 through captain Laura Wolvaardt and Nadine de Klerk. Then de Klerk was bowled by leg-spinner Georgia Wareham, who helped to run out a slow Kapp. Wolvaardt still made the Proteas a threat, even with the run rate required up to 11.
But after hitting opposite skipper Sophie Molineux for six over long off, Wolvaardt was out for 44 from 39 balls next ball, hitting to Wareham in the covers. South Africa folded from there, the last five wickets adding just 11 runs.
Australia’s four spinners took eight wickets, the pick of them Wareham with 3-13, a catch and a run out. Wareham was named player of the match and shared the praise.
“(Captain) Soph’s been awesome, instilling a lot of freedom within the group and making the group believe we are a good team and can take on this tournament, and that’s pretty awesome,” Wareham said.
Earlier in a blustery, overcast Manchester, Scotland earned its first World Cup win at Ireland’s expense by a comfortable 40 runs. Ireland, chasing a first win for 12 years, dropped its win-loss record to 0-18.