New Zealand and India in shootout for final semi spot

ENGLAND, Australia and South Africa all booked their places in the Women’s World Cup semi-finals with a game to spare after convincing wins on Wednesday.

England continued their good form with a 75-run victory over New Zealand, Australia bounced back from defeat against the hosts with an eightwicket win over India, while South Africa also beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets.

England and Australia are now both on ten points with England placed at the top of the table owing to a better net runrate, while South Africa are third with nine points.

It means that Saturday’s game between India and New Zealand becomes a virtual quarter-final – a straight shootout for the last remaining semi-final spot.

Meg Lanning inspired Australia to victory with an excellent unbeaten 79 that included seven fours and one six, and that was after Megan Schutt and Ellyse Perry had taken two wickets each to restrict India to 226-7 from their 50 overs.

And Lanning and Perry then saw Australia home with just under five overs to spare.

Natalie Sciver scored an supreme 129 from 111 balls – her second century of the competition – as England beat New Zealand by 75 runs in Derby.

Sciver hit 11 fours on the way to her quickfire century, while Tammy Beaumont plundered 93 as England notched 284 from their 50 overs.

Alex Hartley was the pick of the England bowlers as she took 3-44, with no White Ferns batter reaching the half-century mark.

Captain Suzie Bates top scored with 44 as New Zealand were bowled out for 209.

In the day’s other game, South Africa booked their place in the last-four with a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka.

Dane van Niekerk starred with the ball as she took her third four-wicket haul of the World Cup to skittle Sri Lanka for 101.

And South Africa cruised to their target in 23.1 overs for the loss of just two wickets.

Elsewhere, Deandra Dottin smashed the fastest century by a West Indies batter in ODIs to secure her team a second win of the competition, by 19 runs over Pakistan on the Duckworth/ Lewis/Stern (DLS) method.

Dottin played brilliantly to strike 12 fours and three sixes in her 79-ball 104 not out, her maiden ODI hundred, and help the Windies to 285-4 from their 50 overs at Grace Road.

The final round of pool games take place tomorrow.