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Australia defeated defending champions England in a thrilling contest on Saturday in the ongoing ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022.
Aussie opener Rachael Haynes shined with the bat, smashing a remarkable century to take her team to a competitive total after England won the toss and asked Australia to bat first. Haynes lit up the Seddon Park in Hamilton and hit 130 off 131 deliveries with the help of 15 boundaries.
Captain Meg Lanning also sizzled with her scintillating batting display. The right-handed batter scored 86 off 110 balls, including seven fours and a maximum to take the Australian total to 310/3 in their allotted 50 overs.
In reply, England managed to take the game to the final over, needing 16 runs to pull off a victory. But Australia’s experienced campaigner Jess Jonassen ruined the English plans by conceding only three runs while bagging a couple of wickets as well.
Natalie Sciver and Tammy Beaumont shimmered with their batting performances, but it wasn’t enough as their side lost the contest by 12 runs. Beaumont smashed 74 off 82 balls with the help of seven boundaries before Alana King dismissed her.
Sciver, on the other hand, remained unbeaten on 109 from 85 balls, including 13 boundaries, as England managed to reach 298/8 in 50 overs. For the Aussies, King bagged three wickets for 59 runs in her quota of 10 overs.
In another match, Bangladesh were comfortably set on their way to script the massive upset at the mega-showpiece event, but Ayabonga Khaka, with her sensational 4/32, triggered a middle-overs collapse of 39/5 to help South Africa register a memorable triumph.
Bowling first, Bangladesh bundled out the Proteas for just 207 in 49.5 overs, thanks to a splendid bowling display by Fariha Trisna, Jahanara Alam, and Ritu Moni. While Trisna (3/35) bagged a three-wicket haul, Alam (2/28) and Moni (2/36) bagged two wickets each. For South Africa, Marizanne Kapp (42) and Laura Wolvaardt (41) were the top scorers.
In response, Bangladesh got bundled out for 175, losing the contest by 32 runs. Sharmin Akhter (34) and skipper Nigar Sultana (29) made some contributions, but it wasn’t enough to take their team over the line.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
And Rachael Haynes is the Player of the Match for her epic hundred #CWC22 https://t.co/z7WRTHfvLJ
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) March 5, 2022
Rachael Haynes scores Australia’s first century of the Women’s World Cup, reaching the milestone in 115 deliveries against reigning champions England.#CWC22 pic.twitter.com/4WKNl0kCdW
— Nic Savage (@nic_savage1) March 5, 2022
A magnificent second ODI century for Rachael Haynes 🙌 #TeamAustralia are 246/2 after 44 overs.
How many runs will they add? 🤔#CWC22 pic.twitter.com/77orEhBJtv
— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) March 5, 2022
Wonderful knock from Rachael Haynes, her second ODI century and a brilliant innings for the Australian vice-captain to start her #CWC22 campaign.
Really impressed with her ability to accelerate her innings. Her first 50 came off 73 balls. Her next 50 off 42 balls.
— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) March 5, 2022
Congrats to @AusWomenCricket winning against a fighting opponent in @englandcricket who never gave up. #WWC2022
— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg) March 5, 2022
Not our night in Hamilton but a special performance from @natsciver 💯 #TeamEngland | #CWC22 pic.twitter.com/E1xJ3qwjyg
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 5, 2022
England have lost the first game of their World Cup defence by 12 runs to Australia despite an unbeaten hundred from Nat Sciver. Making 298 in the chase was a fair old effort #CWC22
— Rob Johnston (@RobJ_Cricket) March 5, 2022
There will not be a more fitting wicket taken in any cricket today. #CWC22 pic.twitter.com/Opha3R49cz
— Scott Bailey (@ScottBaileyAAP) March 5, 2022
2️⃣ points in the bag to kickstart the #CWC22 🇿🇦 💚 #BePartOfTheForce #AlwaysRising
📷 Getty/ICC pic.twitter.com/xnHO4fi5AV
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) March 5, 2022
Bangladesh was sailing smoothly till Ayabonga Khaka rolled her arm over. 4 wickets in 7 overs. I’m very keenly following the #WWCC2022 It’s so much fun 🤩
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 5, 2022
100 ODI wickets for Ayabonga Khaka 🔥🔥🔥 Fifth South African woman to reach this milestone and the second fastest after Shabnim Ismail!! #CWC22
— Kass Naidoo (@KassNaidoo) March 5, 2022
Bangladesh are playing their first Women's ODI World Cup match. This is the first time since 1997 with a new team debuting in Women's World Cup.
Bangladesh becomes the first new team of World Cup since International Women's Cricket Council (IWCC) merged with ICC.#CWC22 #BANvSA
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) March 4, 2022