That winning habit
England are on a roll going into semi-final after seeing off the West Indies in style
ENGLAND’S women hope to keep up their winning habit in the World Cup semi- final against South Africa on Tuesday.
They beat the West Iindies by 92 runs yesterday to claim their sixth consecutive win in the tournament, having lost the opener to India.
‘With that first defeat against India we made it hard for ourselves but since then we’ve been outstanding,’ said England captain Heather Knight.
‘ The girls have done everything asked of them.
‘We said winning was a habit and we wanted to keep doing that, so we’re taking some good momentum into the semi-final.’
England’s emphatic win means they will avoid holders Australia, who will face India in Derby on Thursday.
India captain Mithali Raj hit a century to lead her side to a mammoth 186- run win over New Zealand to clinch their semi-final spot.
Under overcast conditions in Bristol, batting l ooked far from easy as England openers Lauren Winfield and Tammy Beaumont scratched around for runs. Despite bowler- friendly conditions the seamers struggled to find the right line and conceded 16 wides in the first 10 overs.
But Winfield picked out deep square on the boundary before Sarah Taylor edged Deandra Dottin to slip for a golden duck.
On the used pitch, Beaumont and Knight rebuilt England’s i nnings slowly before the former’s attempted lap shot off Afy Fletcher succeeded only in taking the edge and nestling in wicketkeeper Merissa Aguilleira’s gloves.
Nat Sciver then fell for a second-ball duck and when Fran Wilson was caught behind to give Fletcher her third wicket, England looked in big trouble.
But Mark Robinson has transformed his team.
Knight, realising she was key to taking England to a defendable total, ran hard between the wickets with Katherine Brunt as the pair completed 23 singles and four twos in a 36-run sixth-wicket stand.
An ill-judged dance down the wicket to spinner Anisa Mohammed saw Brunt stumped for 14 just before Knight reached her half-century off 76 balls.
The all- rounder was bowled by Hayley Matthews for 67 to leave the three-time World Cup champions at 174-7, but a brilliant 31 off 19 balls from Laura Marsh saw England finish on a challenging 220-7.
Brunt and Anya Shrubsole opened the bowling with hostility and as the West Indies struggled to keep the score ticking over, Wilson ran out Kyshona Knight as she attempted to steal a single off Jenny Gunn.
Marsh dismissed the dangerous Stafanie Taylor lbw for a 12-ball duck but, with DRS available, had the West Indian captain reviewed she would have been reprieved.
The World T20 champions’ luck got no better when opener Matthews was trapped plumb by Alex Hartley.
With a dr y wicket a i di ng t he spinners, Deandra Dottin was the next player to fall lbw as Knight took a vital scalp. Sciver took two wickets in three balls and the lbw calls continued.
Sciver took her third wicket in three overs as Fletcher succumbed.
Shrubsole ensured the hosts claimed a seventh lbw in an innings — a first in women’s one-day internationals — as the West Indies could manage only 128-9 off their 50 overs.