Australia power to Women’s Cricket World Cup final win over England

So there we have it. On a sunny April Sunday at Christchurch, Meg Lanning’s Australia were formally named the best ODI team in the world, stealing the crown from reigning champions England by 71 runs. If we are honest, we already knew Australia were the best team in the world. It’s just that now, with the 20-over title, the Ashes and the 50-over World Cup all sitting pretty in their trophy cabinet, they have finally made it official.

This tournament, with its sea of final-over finishes, called for a competitive final, but Australia had not read that script. Their version was to pile on the runs first up, making a mockery of Heather Knight’s decision to bowl first. Australia had 160 up before England managed to make a single breakthrough – the highest partnership for any wicket, ever, in a World Cup final – and 316 before the next one came.

With 356 runs on the board at the innings break, England might as well have got on the plane then and there, although an unbeaten 148 from Nat Sciver in the run chase did at least give them something to cheer about as they watched the fruits of their 2017 victory slip through their fingers.

As for Alyssa Healy’s innings – 170 off 138 balls, including 26 boundaries – what can you say? England had kept her relatively quiet for the first ten, but when she danced down the track and lofted Charlie Dean for four over mid-on in the 12th over, it set the scene for what was to follow: not just the highest individual innings in any World Cup final (women’s or men’s), but the most audacious one too.

Runs came thick and fast, all around the ground – Katherine Brunt’s short balls were pulled ferociously, Dean was driven out of the attack, and tournament leading wicket-taker Sophie Ecclestone went