Australia crush England in World T20 final
AFP - All-rounder Ashleigh Gardner starred with bat and ball as Australia cruised to an eight-wicket victory over England in the final of the Women’s World T20 in Antigua on Saturday.
Gardner and teenage legspinner Georgia Wareham combined for five wickets to restrict the English to 105 all out off 19.4 overs after they had chosen to bat first at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
Gardner then featured in an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 62 with her Captain Meg Lanning as the Aussies reached the target with almost five overs to spare to lift their fourth World T20 crown.
Given her significant contributions in both innings the 21-year-old was the obvious choice as Player-of-the-match.
The Player-of-the-series honour was also a predictable selection with opener and wicket-keeper Alyssa Healy taking the title although the final represented her least accomplished performance.
After winning three consecutive Player-of-theMatch honours in Australia’s group matches in Guyana, Healy dropped England top scorer Danielle Wyatt in the third over of the final off seamer Ellyse Perry.
Wyatt contributed a breezy 43 off 37 balls to her team’s effort but only England Captain Heather Knight managed any other score of note in getting to 25 as wickets continued to tumble around her.
Gardner dismissed both Wyatt and Knight with her offspinners and added the scalp of tailender Anya Shrubsole to finish with the impressive figures of three for 22.
She was ably supported by Wareham, the 19-yearold accounting for Lauren Winfield and Sophia Dunkley off successive deliveries and conceding just 11 runs through three excellent overs.
Any chance of England defending such a modest total depended on removing Healy cheaply. She was bowled by Ecclestone for 22 - her lowest score of the tournament - and although opening partner Beth Mooney departed shortly after, caught at the wicket off Danielle Hazell, Gardner and Lanning ensured the result was never in doubt.
England: 105 in 19.4 overs (Danielle Wyatt 43, Heather Knight 25, Ashleigh Gardner 3/22, Georgia Wareham 2/11)
Australia: 106/2 in 15.1 overs (Ashleigh Gardner 33 n. o, Meg Lanning 28 n. o).