Women's World Cup: Australia survive Bangladesh scare to end group stage with 100% record

Australia survived a scare to beat Bangladesh and end the group stage of the Women's World Cup undefeated.

Chasing 136 in a match reduced to 43 overs because of rain in Wellington, Australia were reduced to 26-3 and 70-5 by the World Cup debutants.

But Beth Mooney, who made 66 not out, added an unbroken 76 with Annabel Sutherland to seal a five-wicket win with more than 10 overs to spare.

Australia win the group and meet the fourth-placed team in the semi-finals.

That will be one of England, India or West Indies, depending on results in the final three first-round matches over the weekend.

England need to beat Bangladesh on Sunday to be certain of their place in the last four, and this performance showed the defending champions could be in for an examination.

In atrocious conditions at the Basin Reserve — the umpires dispensed with the bails because the strong wind kept blowing them off the stumps — Bangladesh battled to 135-6 in their first ever one-day international meeting with Australia.

The prospect of one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history was raised when Australia lost three wickets for four runs, all to off-spinner Salma Khatun.

Alyssa Healy was caught sweeping, captain Meg Lanning — on her 30th birthday — was bowled for a duck and Rachael Haynes was caught at mid-off.

Even with Mooney at the crease, Australia were in further danger after Thalia McGrath was lbw to Nahida Akter and Ash Gardner was bowled by Rumana Ahmed.

But, crucially, Ritu Moni dropped a simple caught-and-bowled chance when Sutherland was on four that would have left Australia 79-6.

From there, Mooney marshalled the chase, the left-hander moving her tournament tally 225 runs, having been dismissed only twice as Australia completed their seventh win