Coming off second-best in a game that morphed into an engaging scrap but went the way of the West Indies by four wickets with three balls to spare, England will now take on India in the semi-final of the Women’s World T20 on Friday. That this game went the distance was a credit to England’s dogged defence with the ball, led once again by the outstanding Anya Shrubsole after her equally important face-saving efforts with the bat.
The 115 for eight that Heather Knight’s side compiled looked vaguely satisfactory given that it was achieved from 50 for six deep into the 11th over. Playing her first innings for England, Sophia Dunkley looked born for international cricket with her top-scoring hand of 35, adding 55 from 46 balls with Shrubsole, whose 29 is the highest she has made for England in T20s.
When the vice-captain then clean bowled two of the West Indies’ big three in the space of four deliveries in the second over of their chase, the visitors sensed they were a wicket away from running away with the game and topping the group. However, the third-leg of the local trio – Deandra Dottin – had other ideas. After picking up two wickets with the ball and dragging in a classic catch at point off Shrubsole to finish their bowling efforts on a high, the all-rounder broke the back of the chase, slugging four sixes before holing out for 46.
Shemaine Campbelle, who joined Dottin when Shrubsole was hooping the ball around corners, was the perfect foil in that stand of 68, then going on to bat through to the final over for an innings of 45, to the immense enjoyment of the buoyant crowd.
Going through the group stage undefeated, the defending champions have earned the right to play Australia in the semi-finals in Antigua on Thursday. Australia are the team they defeated in the final for this trophy two and a half years ago and that lost to India on Saturday.
Knight was happy to be sent in first given that both of their wins so far had been for the loss of three wickets. Time in the middle before the elimination stage, which they earned safe passage to on Friday, was essential. All of England’s specialist batters did get a chance to take guard with plenty of time left in the innings, but not as they planned.
All told, it was their worst power play of 2018 in terms of runs scored – just 32 – losing two wickets; Danielle Wyatt misjudged a flat-bat slap in the first over then Amy Jones was caught off a top edge. It could have been worse, as Tammy Beaumont was dropped early on too.
Matters did not improve when the field went out, Nat Sciver immediately edging a delivery that was so wide it was signalled as such until DRS confirmed bat on ball. Through Beaumont and Knight, a degree of composure was retained but they were both out lbw within four balls of each other before Lauren Winfield decided to take on Britney Cooper at mid-off, who made no mistake hitting the stumps direct at the non-striker’s end.
Coming together at 50 for six, Dunkley and Shrubsole batted with purpose and maturity. The junior partner, aged 20, used her first international innings to show that she can both hit the long ball – clearing the long-on rope – and dissect the field. At the other end, a swept six from Shrubsole over square leg brought up the 50 partnership and three figures for England.
After knocking over Hayley Matthews with her first delivery then captain Stafanie Taylor with her fourth, Shrubsole’s solo effort kept England punching. She did it again in the final over, picking up Campbelle with four balls to go – two overs after Fran Wilson, on as a substitute, dropped a chance to snaffle her on the long-on boundary. At the death, Kycia Knight sealed the game with a cover-driven boundary to send the capacity crowd into overdrive.
“It was a great game of cricket and a really good day for women’s cricket,” Knight said, reflecting on the capacity crowd. “Sophia and Anya fought really hard for us but we lost a few too many early dismissals. But the fight we showed to stay in the game was brilliant. I can’t question the girls’ fight and attitude.”
