Australia brush aside Windies, clinch sixth title

Stafanie Taylor stood in disbelief. She had just nudged a good length ball straight back into bowler Ellyse Perry's hands in the 12th over. MVL Manikantan reports.

Stafanie Taylor stood in disbelief. She had just nudged a good length ball straight back into bowler Ellyse Perry's hands in the 12th over. Even though it was just the second wicket to fall, West Indies, chasing a tough 260-run target, had suffered a body blow in their bid to lift their maiden Women's World Cup. And they never quite recovered.The Australian women, on the other hand, lived up to the legacy of being five-time champions and lifted their sixth title in style, dishing out a 114-run defeat on West Indies.

HT Image

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Images/Popup/2013/2/18_02_13-metro19.jpg

Going by the numbers, the Southern Stars were the team to back on Sunday night. West Indies had to chase down the highest target in a 50-over World Cup final. The team batting first had won all the three day-night fixtures at the Brabourne Stadium and most importantly, the Australian bowling had not conceded more than 227 in the tournament.

Perry, fighting a left-ankle injury, displayed awe-inspiring grit to claim the first three wickets. Megan Schutt, Lisa Sthalekar and Erin Osborne, took two scalps apiece as West Indies just delayed the inevitable, playing till the 43rd over to score 145 runs.

The Australians' intent was signified in the early going by the top-order --- attack from ball one. Openers Meg Lanning and Rachael Haynes played their roles to the hilt. They pulled away anything short and cut when they saw width offered. Lanning (31) got the team's 50 with a boundary over mid-off in the tenth over, but fell the very next ball.