ENGLAND claimed a nerve-wracking final-ball, one-wicket win over West Indies to move closer to the Women’s World Twenty20 semi-finals.
Chasing 109, England slipped from 59-0 to 83-6, then 101-8.With seven needed off the final over, Anya Shrubsole scored four from two balls but was then bowled. A wide, a Rebecca Grundy single and a scrambled bye then got England home.
England will reach the semi-finals if they beat Pakistan tomorrow.
The 2009 champions will also secure a place in the last four if West Indies fail to beat India earlier on the same day.
FINAL-OVER DRAMA
Charlotte Edwards’ side only just managed to scrape past India on Tuesday, with Shrubsole required to hit the winning runs with six balls to spare.
Here, the finish was closer and also echoed the thrilling match between India and Bangladesh in the men’s tournament 24 hours earlier.
19.1 overs, Deandra Dottin to Shrubsole – two runs, five runs needed from five balls
19.2 overs, Dottin to Shrubsole – two runs, three from four needed, England in control
19.3 overs, Dottin to Shrubsole – dot ball, three from three required
19.4 overs, Shrubsole b Dottin 4 (England 106-9) – Shrubsole plays on to her stumps, only number 11 Rebecca Grundy is left
19.4 overs, Dottin to Grundy – wide, a precious run to England’s score
19.5 overs, Dottin to Grundy – one run, a single to point, Nat Sciver needs one from the final ball
19.6 overs, Dottin to Sciver – one bye, Sciver misses, England scamper across the line.
On Wednesday, in exactly the same situation, India wicketkeeper MS Dhoni ran to the stumps to run out Mustafizur Rahman and win the match for his team. Here, Merissa Aguilleira threw and missed, giving England victory.
BATTING ISSUES REMAIN
Against India, and chasing only 90, England fell from 62-3 to 87-8 before sealing victory.
Here, the collapse was just as dramatic, with middle-order problems looking to be a serious obstacle to England winning the World T20 for a second time.
Tammy Beaumont and Charlotte Edwards appeared to have England cruising with an opening stand of 59, albeit if they were fortunate to survive a stumping and caught-behind appeal respectively.
However, after Beaumont was harshly adjudged lbw to Shaquana Quintyne, England imploded in an overall collapse of 9-47 brought about by a series of loose shots.
BOWLING IN GOOD ORDER
England’s bowling, however, remains a strength particularly seamer Shrubsole.
The number one-ranked T20 bowler in the world returned figures of 1-11 from her four overs, including the dismissal of Stafanie Taylor in the 19th over.
At that time, Taylor’s 52-run stand with Dottin looked set to launch West Indies to a winning score.
Dottin also fell in the 20th over, looping Jenny Gunn to wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor and England had a target that proved to be only just within their grasp. (BBC Sport)