New Zealand look good to progress despite washout
NEW Zealand may have suffered the first wash-out of the tournament on Wednesday, but their performance in their opening game against Sri Lanka has made them one of the teams to watch.
Holly Huddleston was the star with the ball as her 5-35 helped New Zealand bowl Sri Lanka out for 188.
Captain Suzie Bates led the way with the bat as her unbeaten 106 and Amy Satterthwaite’s 78 not out were enough for the White Ferns to record a comfortable nine-wicket victory.
Persistent rain in Derby on Wednesday meant they were unable to maintain their unbeaten start against South Africa and the points were shared.
If New Zealand’s start to the tournament was convincing, then South Africa’s was anything but.
They were pushed right up to the final ball of the penultimate over to chase down Pakistan’s 206 in their opener.
Bibi Nahida led the way with the bat for Pakistan with her 79. A batting collapse by the Proteas middle order then saw them go from 143-2 to 177-7, but Sune Luus (15no) and Shabnim Ismail (22no) got them over the line with six balls remaining.
In their opening game, tournament hosts England were left needing their highest-ever successful World Cup run chase when India posted an impressive 281-3.
Smriti Mandhana scored a glorious 90 from 72 balls and captain Mithali Raj looked in excellent form for her 71.
England lost early wickets in response but while Fran Wilson was in the middle they always had a chance.
However, when she was run out by Ekta Bisht for 81 – her maiden ODI half-century – they faded to lose by 35 runs.
But the hosts bounced back in style against Pakistan on Tuesday and posted an impressive 377 with captain Heather Knight (106) and Natalie Sciver (137) leading the way in Leicester.
Rain restricted Pakistan’s reply and play was stopped after 29.2 overs with Pakistan 107-3 but comfortably behind the rate as England won by 107 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
Nicole Bolton starred with the bat as defending champions Australia won their first match of the tournament.
Bolton hit 107 not out as the Aussies chased down West Indies’ total of 204, while Ellyse Perry was the pick of the bowlers with 3-47.
With four of the eight teams progressing to the semi-final, it already looks like a battle between New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, England and India to see who will make the knock-out stages.
England have won the tournament on the previous two occasions that they have hosted it, in 1973 and 1993.
But the holders Australia and their Antipodean neighbours New Zealand are looking strong in all departments, with India appearing to be the biggest threat of the Sub-continent teams.
West Indies may be the World T20 champions, but they have struggled to replicate that in the 50-over format.