4th Match: Australia Women v England Women at Lincoln, 29 Jan 2003 CricInfo Live Report

4th Match: Australia Women v England Women at Lincoln, 29 Jan 2003
Lynn McConnell

Australia Women innings: 1st drinks, End of match,
England Women innings: 1st drinks, 2nd drinks, End of innings,
Pre-game: Scene set,

AUSTRALIA MOVE TO CLEAR LEAD AT TOP OF THE POINTS TABLE
Australia achieved a seven-wicket win over England and picked up a bonus point with three balls to spare to move to the lead on the points table of the World Series of Women's Cricket at Bert Sutcliffe Oval at Lincoln University today.

Karen Rolton was the key player again for Australia, having to play a careful hand after losing her top-order partners and she performed the role perfectly. She finished 68 not out off 102 balls while Michelle Goszko was unbeaten on 34 off 50 balls. They shared a 71-run partnership to get Australia home off 39.3 overs.

Rolton lost Melissa Jones, when she repeated Belinda Clark's dismissal by charging Laura Harper and getting caught at mid on. Jones had scored eight runs and at the 25-over stage, Australia found themselves at 86 for three wickets.

Laura Harper looked the bowler most likely to cause problems for the Australians and her wickets, of Clark and Jones were testimony to that.

Rolton brought up the 100, off 177 balls, and immediately afterwards Michelle Goszko celebrated with a lovely cover driven boundary from Clare Connor's bowling.

Rolton then brought up her 16th half-century which was scored off 87 balls. The fact it took her 100 minutes showed how little she had of the strike, especially during the latter half of her innings.

Goszko then started to lift the tempo of her scoring and stepped down the wicket to Pearson to get a lofted straight drive into the safe area beyond the bowler for four. Pearson finished an impressive spell with two for 31 from her 10 overs.

As the pressure went on for Australia to get the bonus point, Rolton came back into the picture after spending six overs in the 50s. She pulled a ball from Sarah Collyer for four runs to move to 58 and then cut a ball fine to move to 60.

She and Goszko reached their 50 partnership off 72 balls and then the 150 came up off 232 balls.

Of the other England bowlers, left-arm fast-medium bowler Lucy Pearson took one for 32 from her 10 overs while medium pacer Collyer took none for 22 off seven.

ENGLAND PICK UP CLARK EARLY BUT STILL FACE LONG HAUL
England struck early gold when capturing the key wicket of Australian captain Belinda Clark during the 15th over of their World Series of Women's Cricket match at Bert Sutcliffe Oval at Lincoln University this afternoon.

Australia were chasing 157 for victory, and still had the dangerous Karen Rolton at the crease. She was on 19 off 33 balls at the end of 15 overs, at which stage she had just been joined by Melanie Jones. Australia were 52 for two at that stage.

Lisa Sthalekar was out in the third over when edging a ball from left-arm fast-medium bowler Lucy Pearson to wicket-keeper Mandie Godliman to be out for four off eight balls.

The tenth over was a sign of things to come with 12 runs being taken, including one lovely off drive to the boundary by Clark.

Rolton quickly overtook Clark in the scoring and after 10 overs she had 12 runs to Clark's 11.

Having seen over Lucy Pearson, who had one for 22 from her seven overs, Clark then brought up the 50 with an immaculately placed off drive from new bowler, off spinner Laura Harper. Three times in a row, Clark moved nicely down the pitch to Harper, bowling her first over, and on the third she got the placement she was looking for.

However, off the fifth ball of the over she attempted to go over the top to long on but she didn't get enough elevation on the ball and it was taken by Clare Taylor at mid on. She had scored 23 off 46 balls. Australia were 52 for two after 15 overs.

ENGLAND LAST THE DISTANCE BUT RUNS MAY NOT BE ENOUGH
England achieved the satisfaction of batting out their 50 overs in their World Series of Women's Cricket match with Australia at Bert Sutcliffe Oval today, but their total of 156 for eight wickets is unlikely to be enough to test the Australians.

But for a string of three run outs in five balls in the last two overs, the England position may have been even better.

Clare Connor and Laura Newton brought up the 100 in the 38th over, off 223 balls. They were starting to move the ball around and Karen Rolton was replaced by Cathryn Fitzpatrick after her first six overs cost 15 runs.

When Fitzpatrick did come back she had immediate effect when bowling Newton for 18, scored off 62 balls.

Lisa Sthalekar completed her 10 overs at a cost of 35 runs.

Sarah Collyer soon started to work with Connor in moving the ball around and they began to take quick singles but in attempting to make a bigger hit from Julie Hayes' bowling, Connor hit high to wide mid on where Australian captain Belinda Clark was able to run round and complete the catch. Connor scored 29 off 49 balls.

When she was out in the 45th over, England were 132 for five wickets.

Australia would not have been happy with the overall quality of their fielding with several fumbles allowing England extra runs.

Fitzpatrick and Lisa Twining tied the English batsmen down and through the last five overs they were largely confined to singles. The pressure for runs increased the chance for run outs and they were not too long in coming.

Sarah Collyer was first to go, for 12, when run out at the non-striker's end when backing up too far and not being able to beat bowler Emma Twining breaking the wickets.

Off the next ball, Dawn Holden hit the ball to mid on where Karen Rolton threw down the wickets at the bowler's end.

Then three balls later, Mandie Godliman was run out without facing a ball when also backing up too far at the bowlers' end to be too slow to beat Sthalekar's return to the wicket.

Laura Harper was able to pick up an unbeaten 10 off six balls to get England up to 156.

Fitzpatrick ended with one for 28 off her 10 overs, and is now sitting on 98 ODI wickets.

AUSTRALIA APPLYING PRESSURE AFTER CONFIDENT ENGLAND START
Australia were starting to assert their authority with a commanding display in the field in their World Series of Women's Cricket match with England at Bert Sutcliffe Oval at Lincoln University near Christchurch today.

England were in danger of undoing their sound start at the 30th over mark at 82 for three wickets with Laura Newton on four not out and Clare Connor on two.

Claire Taylor had been highly effective in attacking the Australian bowlers and with a string of well placed off and cover drives she scored 35 off 50 balls but then attempted a cut from Clea Smith's bowling and lobbed a catch to Michelle Goszko in the gully.

It was a disappointing end to what was shaping as the sort of innings that could put pressure on Australia in the latter stages.

Earlier, Arran Thompson's innings ended when she was run out after Alex Blackwell completed a good throw to Julie Hayes who whipped the bails off in a hurry. Her innings had started well but she became bogged down through the latter stages and her 11 runs came off 64 balls.

Australian were never in any danger of having trouble with their over-rate. In fact, such was the speed of their over completion that England suddenly found themselves needing to up their scoring rate to take full advantage of their position.

Hayes had bowled tidily for her first seven overs taking none for 15 while Lisa Sthalekar was a little more expensive with 25 off her eight overs.

ENGLAND MAKE SOUND START AGAINST AUSTRALIA
England made a sound start in their World Series of Women's Cricket match against Australia in glorious conditions at Bert Sutcliffe Oval at Lincoln University near Christchurch today.

Having chosen to bat first after winning the toss, England had made it through to 40 for the loss of one wicket, with Arran Thompson unbeaten on 10 and Claire Taylor on four.

England's change of opening partnership, after Kathryn Leng was dropped for the match, proved more successful as Thompson joined Charlotte Edwards in the role.

While they didn't set the world on fire, they did score 33 and, more importantly, saw off the experienced opening bowler Cathryn Fitzpatrick. She finished her first spell of five overs with nine runs from her bowling.

Edwards made an early impression with a nicely-timed off drive from Twining for four runs, while Thompson followed in Twining's next over with a well hit cover drive to the boundary.

Edwards also was quickly into position to pull a shorter ball from Fitzpatrick to the mid-wicket boundary.

However, when on 12, Edwards touched a ball wide of off stump from Twining and wicket-keeper Julia Price took the catch and England were 33 for one in the 12th over.

Twining was then taken out of the attack having one for 12 from her six overs.

ENGLAND FACE TOUGH TASK IN FIRST MATCH AGAINST AUSTRALIA
England go into today's match of the World Series of Women's Cricket against Australia facing the daunting task of needing to beat the tournament favourites to get their first points on the board.

At the moment, Australia, New Zealand and India are all on six points, but New Zealand and India have played two games compared to Australia's one, while England have no points from their own game.

Conditions were glorious, the best of the tournament to date with no wind, bright sunlight and a clear sky.

England face a tough task in the match, having been beaten by India in their first game while Australia comfortably beat the world champion New Zealand side. England won the toss and decided to bat first.

Kathryn Leng and Laura Spragg have been left out of the England team,

The teams are:

Australia: Belinda Clark (captain), Lisa Sthalekau, Karen Rolton, Melanie Jones, Michelle Goszko, Alex Blackwell, Julie Hayes, Cathryn Fitzpatrick, Julia Price, Clea Smith, Emma Twining (12th man - Kris Britt).

England: Clare Connor (captain), Charlotte Edwards, Dawn Holden, Sarah Collyer, Laura Harper, Mandy Godliman, Lucy Pearson, Arran Thompson, Laura Newton, Claire Taylor, Clare Taylor. (12th man - Nicky Shaw).

The umpires are: Gary Baxter and Kathy Cross.