WIN SOURED BY PERRY INJURY

AUSTRALIA’S Twenty20 World Cup hopes are alive after holding off New Zealand by four runs in a sudden-death trans-Tasman battle to secure a semi-final spot.

But the victory looks to have come at a major cost, with a shattered Ellyse Perry hobbling off Melbourne’s Junction Oval with a hamstring injury yesterday.

Australia’s superstar allrounder was already under a major injury cloud in the lead-up to the crucial game after hurting her hip against Bangladesh last Thursday.

Perry survived a pre-game fitness test, taking her place in the team to hit a vital 21 before disaster struck during New Zealand’s chase of 5-155.

The 29-year-old was delivering a diving throw but immediately winced in pain as she got up, casting extreme doubt on her availability for the rest of Australia’s shot at a fifth World Cup title.

Perry’s injury soured an otherwise impressive performance, with Beth Mooney’s 60 powering Australia to a formidable total after being sent into bat by Kiwis skipper Sophie Devine.

“Batting is my happy place,” Queenslander Mooney said after the match. “We’re stoked we got there.”

The Aussie total proved to be too much as young legspinner Georgia Wareham (3-17) and opening bowler Megan Schutt (3-28) tied down the White Ferns with brilliant spells.

Australia join unbeaten India as semifinalists from Group A and Meg Lanning’s team will now face South Africa or England at the SCG on Thursday.