Womens World Cup: Alana King spins dominant Australia to win over South Africa

At the Holkar Stadium on Saturday, it was the Alana King present by and thru.

Under leaden skies, the 29-year-old Australian leg-spinner teased and tormented South Africa along with her beguiling craft, and completed with career-best returns of 7-2-18-7. Apart from producing the very best bowling figures by an Australian girl in ODIs, it is usually the first-ever seven-wicket haul within the 50-over occasion. At one stage of her spell, the figures of the Melbourne-born spinner, whose mother and father emigrated from Chennai, remarkably learn 2.3-2-0-4.

King’s extraordinary show helped the Aussies bundle out Laura Wolvaardt and Co. for a paltry 97 in 24 overs, and stroll to a seven-wicket win. By securing prime spot within the eight-team desk, the defending champion has arrange a conflict with India within the second semifinal in Navi Mumbai on October 30. South Africa, in the meantime, will tackle England within the first semifinal in Guwahati on October 29.

In the preliminary overs, Wolvaardt was in advantageous groove. The opener went after Megan Schutt with 4 boundaries within the third over. But with Tazmin Brits digging herself right into a gap on the different finish, the strain ultimately appeared to inform on Wolvaardt.

In the seventh over, she succumbed when a flick off Schutt was caught by King at midwicket. Brits adopted Wolvaardt to the dressing room three overs later.

Thereafter, King set the stage alight. In her very first over, she struck twice. While Sune Luus dragged a slog sweep to Annabel Sutherland at mid-on, Marizanne Kapp was lured into slashing one to backward level. In her third over, she struck off consecutive deliveries, knocking over Annerie Dercksen’s leg stump earlier than getting Chloe Tryon caught at midwicket. It was at this juncture that King had scalped 4 breakthroughs with out but conceding a run.

Sinalo Jafta tried to counterattack by hitting seven fours in a 17-ball 29. But as was the order of the day, she was one in all 4 batters to have her stumps uprooted by King.

“I’m simply pleased to extract as a lot as I can out of the pitch. As a bowler, you at all times love wickets,” King beamed on the post-match presentation.

The scores:

South Africa 97 in 24 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 31, Alana King 7/18) misplaced to Australia 98/3 in 16.5 overs (Georgia Voll 38 n.o., Beth Mooney 42).

Toss: Australia; PoM: King.