Australia took an easy six‑wicket win over England in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, thanks to a 180‑run partnership between Ashleigh Gardner and Annabel Sutherland. The match was played at Holkar Stadium in Indore on Wednesday.
The Australian side was struggling at 68/4 when Gardner and Sutherland started batting. Gardner finished on an unbeaten 104, hitting 16 boundaries, while Sutherland added an unbeaten 98 with nine fours and six sixes. Together they lifted the score from a precarious position to a target of 245, which Australia chased with 57 balls to spare.
Indore, Oct 22 – Australia’s stand‑in captain Tahlia McGrath called the duo “world‑class.” She praised the spinners, especially Alana King, for their tight bowling. “It was a clinical win. Bells and Ash were just world‑class,” McGrath said. She added that Sutherland’s all‑round play was “scary” for a player so young and that she “thinks of Bells as the go‑to when we’re in trouble.”
McGrath also highlighted King’s impact in the middle overs. “I knew she was our key match‑up. She’s got a great record against England and matches up well to their entire batting line‑up,” she said. “She was on fire and found a bit of turn, so we decided to keep her in.”
When asked about the fitness of England’s star keeper Alyssa Healy for the next group match against South Africa on October 25, McGrath replied, “We’ll see how she feels day by day. I’ll leave it to the physio.”
England’s skipper Nat Sciver‑Brunt admitted her side was let down by Australia’s spinners. “Alana King bowled well in the middle overs and really restricted us,” she said. “The partnership between Ashleigh and Sutherland came under lights and removed it from our hands.”
Sciver‑Brunt talked about how England might handle King’s spin in future games. “To counter her, you have to decide which shots to play off the back foot and work on bowling the right length,” she explained. “We’ll learn and reflect on it.”
When asked whether England could still beat Australia in an ODI match, she answered confidently, “Yeah, definitely.” England now heads to Visakhapatnam to face New Zealand in their final league game on Sunday morning.
–, nr/bsk.
Source: ianslive
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