New Zealand women enter final with big win by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Scorecard:	India Women v New Zealand Women
Player:	LR Doolan, R Dhar, AL Watkins, M Raj, A Sharma
Event:	ICC Women's World Twenty20 2009

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DateLine: 18th June 2009

 

If the plan was to bowl bouncers to Indian men, it was the opposite for the women. New Zealand had gauged the fact that there was no firepower at the top of the Indian batting and they bowled fuller and straight. Indians fell to the trick. The run-rate to start off wasn't exciting and by the time they understood that they were running out of overs, it was too late. They lost the semi-final to New Zealand by 52 runs.

 

Chasing a stiff 146 to win, India also did not start off well losing Poonam Raut in as early as the second over. She fell to Sian Ruck when the ball swung in late. Raut shaped to drive but was only able to edge it to square leg.

 

In walked Mithali Raj (20 off 22 balls), probably India's biggest bet for the evening. She started off luckily, inside edging a four just inches away from her stumps. On the other end, Anjum Chopra (15 off 24 balls) though was losing the plot. By the end of five overs, she had scored just eight runs having faced 18 deliveries. Her misery finally ended when she top-edged a short one from Kate Pulford straight to Suzie Bates who took a good catch diving forward.

 

Harmanpreet Kaur then got out for a first ball duck, bowled by a Ruck in-dipper leaving India in a down and out situation at 30 for the loss of three wickets after seven overs.

 

Wickets continued to tumble and worse was that none fell in an effort to up the scoring rate. It was either poor footwork or lack of communication in the running between the wickets. Then came the big one, Mithali went for a huge hit but failed to clear the long-on fielder. With this the last hopes of a comeback were quashed and though Amita Sharma did hit a couple of lusty blows, the Indian women fell short by 52 runs.

 

Earlier after winning the toss and electing to bat first, New Zealand women did not get off to the best possible start. In trying to hit one out of the park, Lucy Doolan (3) hit one straight up, only to be caught by Chopra off the bowling of Rumeli Dhar.

 

Suzie Bates (10) and skipper Aimee Watkins then took up the job of resurrection, adding 40 runs for the second wicket. Watkins being the aggressor all the time. After Bates fell, trying to up the scoring rate, Watkins joined hands with Amy Satterthwaite (10) and added another 24 with her.

 

Though wickets continued to fall, Watkins begin to go after the Indian bowling after the 15th over. She smacked Gouher Sultana for 18 runs in the 17th over which included two hits to the fence and one over it.

 

In the end some big lusty blows by Sophie Divine (14 off 8 balls) and skipper Watkins (89 from 58 balls) who hit a six to finish off the innings made sure the Kiwis had more than a competitive total for their bowlers to defend. Watkins also in the process became the highest individual scorer in the tournament, surpassing Claire Taylor's 75.