Australia Take on West Indies in Final
After a fortnight of matches spread across Mumbai and Cuttack, the ICC Women's World Cup 2013 prepares for a finale between five-time champion Australia and the West Indies at the Brabourne Stadium on Sunday. It would have taken a brave man to predict that the West Indies would be one of the finalists, especially after the drubbing it received at the hands of India in the tournament opener. After barely managing to squeeze into the Super Sixes on the back of a superior net run-rate, the West Indies - which could not afford a single defeat in its three Super Six matches -- won all its matches to secure a berth in the final for the first time ever. However, the X factor has been Dottin. With nine wickets to go with 204 runs, she will clearly be the one to watch out for. Dottin's contributions have come at vital stages, her knock of 60 setting up an eight-run win over Australia in its final Super Six clash. Apart from the allrounders, the side has an able seamer in Tremayne Smartt, capable of moving the ball both ways. Add to it the spin of Anisa Mohammed, the team's leading wicket-taker in ODIs, and the side is clearly well equipped to pull off another surprise.Australia will have the added pressure of being the favourite. Although the side has managed to win five out of its six games in the tournament so far, there have been signs of inconsistency in the batting department. The team management would not have taken the manner in which the West Indian slow bowlers stifled Australia in the last Super Six clash. Despite getting off to starts, no Australian batter has managed to get totals of substance. There have been just three fifties and one century in six matches so far, and Australia will be hoping for a good platform from Rachael Haynes and Meg Lanning. The middle-order's patchy form has been a cause of concern with Jess Cameron and Lisa Sthalekar looking extremely vulnerable early on. The bowling unit, however, has been in tremendous form. The team management will be faced with a tough decision of leaving out one of its promising pacers, with Ellyse Perry, who missed the last three games due to an ankle injury, all set to return.
Teams from:
West Indies: Merissa Aguilleira (capt & wk), Stafanie Taylor, Shemaine Campbelle, Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Kyshona Knight, Kycia Knight, Natasha McLean, Anisa Mohammed, Subrina Munroe, Juliana Nero, June Ogle, Shaquana Quintyne, Shakera Selman, Tremanyne Smartt.
Australia: Jodie Fields (capt & wk), Meg Lanning, Rachael Haynes, Jess Cameron, Alex Blackwell, Lisa Sthalekar, Erion Osborne, Ellyse Perry, Julie Hunter, Holly Ferling, Megan Schutt, Renee Chappell, Sarah Coyte, Alyssa Healy, Elyse Villani.
Match facts
Sunday February 17, 2013 (day/night)
