Australia will be defending its World Cup title when the women cricketers line up against the West Indies.
This will be a replay of the 2013 World Cup final. The Aussies are the clear favourites after proving their credentials in warm-ups and they have a line-up that is the envy of the women’s cricket world.
So deeply stocked with talent are they that the claim for the title of world’s best batter is preemptively claimed by Aussie Captain Meg Lanning, with her teammate Ellyse Perry being the only legitimate challenger.
The bowling ranks are also well stocked. Jess Jonassen and Kristen Beams are considered two of the best spinners in the world and there is a full complement of quicks when a mix of approaches is desired.
West Indies is not to be taken lightly, however, and they should have their share of the running with Stefanie Taylor, a top run-scorer at the 2013 World Cup. West Indies might have little regard for the hype surrounding the Aussies. One thing is certain; they will not be intimidated in any fashion.
In the 2013 Women’s World Cup, Australia launched by winning all three of its Group B matches, leading New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan.
That moved them into the Super Sixes, where West Indies gave them a run for the money. West Indies actually beat Australia at one point, notching a 164 – 156 victory that was one of the most gripping matches in the competition.
The Aussies extracted revenge for that beating in the final, winning by almost as many runs as they had scored during the previous encounter. The final was held at Brabourne Stadium in Bombay, where the Aussie women won by a margin of 114 runs.
Suzie Bates of Australia was the clear winner in the number of runs, with 407, almost 100 clear of the aforementioned Taylor’s 309.
Megan Schutt was the leader in wickets taken, with 15.
