Australia women regain winning form to take World T20 title over England

Captain Meg Lanning said Australia’s T20 World Cup win is “really satisfying” after disappointment in recent years.

Lanning and Ashleigh Gardner combined for a partnership of 62 as the Southern Stars took their fourth World Cup title with a comfortable eight-wicket win against England in Antigua.

Australia lost to the West Indies at the same tournament in 2016 and went out at the semi-final stage of the 50 over World Cup last year.

And Lanning, quoted on the ICC website, said: “We haven’t had the success we’d have liked last couple of years – the last two World Cups really hurt.

“We had to change a few things, move things forward, play a little differently, and this is a really satisfying win.

“We probably didn’t have the best day in the field. Our bowlers did a great job.

“We made sure we continued and didn’t let that affect the rest of the game.

“Wareham was outstanding today with that direct hit, and I thought her bowling was superb too.”

England won the toss and opted to bat first but were bowled out for 105 in 19.4 overs with Australia reaching their target with 29 balls remaining.

Danielle Wyatt top-scored for England with 44 off 37 balls and captain Heather Knight was the only other player to reach double figures as she was dismissed for 25.

England reached the mid-point of their innings on 57 for three with Wyatt and Knight at bat, but the pair could only muster a 23-run partnership as the former was caught at cover.

Two wickets in two balls for Wareham left England on 74 for six and Australia mopped up the final three wickets in 11 balls for six runs.

Healy opened for Australia and was playing with precision and power, but mistimed an Ecclestone delivery as she went back to the pavilion for 22.

England hopes rose when Beth Mooney was caught for 14 off Danielle Hazell with their opponents needing 62 runs from 13 overs.

But Lanning and Gardner kept the scoreboard ticking over and the run-rate in check, both peppering the boundary.

Gardner sent a full toss from Knight to the rope in the 12th over, then had two more off Kirstie Gordon as Australia looked to finish with a flourish.

A four from Gardner put the scores level at the end of the 15th and it was left to Lanning to knock the winning run to point.

Quoted on the ICC website, Knight said: “Danielle Wyatt started brilliantly. We wanted to put runs on the board, we knew there’d be dew.

“We probably didn’t quite adapt to conditions as well as we could have. Obviously, Australia are the better team on the day, and congratulations to them.

“We came with a lot of inexperience. Some of them have sat up brilliantly. Ecclestone bowled brilliantly, Gordon has been real find, and it’s been a great experience for them. The support has been amazing, singing and dancing.”