Stan Sarvesh
Tears for one team, joy for another: unfair it is but that is how Australia vs England Women’s World Cup 2022 ended. In a run-fest match, England fell 71 runs short in a record-breaking World Cup final run chase.
There was Natalie Sciver at one end and the rest of the English team at the other end. She showed intent to put up an irresistible fight to keep England alive in the game. Despite her heroic effort, Australia snatched a convincing victory in the Women’s World Cup Final 2022. Perhaps, this Australian team is the best ever team to play women’s cricket. That is a big reason why they have been invincible in this tournament.
Batting first, Australia scored a mammoth and record-breaking first innings total in the World Cup finals. Even the men’s team hasn’t been able to set the tone in finals that cleanly. Alyssa Healy who played an astounding inning against West Indies was again phenomenal. English bowlers kept dishing her short and full-length deliveries and she relentlessly scored runs with authority.
She just went out and batted in her natural game without holding the pressure of the finals. Certainly, that is why Australia is such a great team. They have got these match-winners who take the field with majestic confidence and firm belief that exhibits their supreme attitude of being the number one team.
Meg Lanning is bold and very realistic who keeps her players engaged in a tactical and energetic setup. She rotates her bowlers quite effectively and puts pressure on batsmen, forcing them to operate out of their comfort zone. Today, it happened so oftenly and effectively. However, there is nothing to take away from England. They came up front and played genuine cricket in their high spirits. Not for a single over they were behind Australia while chasing, however, English batters failed to build a partnership at crucial moments. It won’t be wrong to say that a 100 runs partnership at any stage would have settled the game for England.
If Australia had Healy who assured their victory then for England, it was Nat Sciver who won the hearts of many with a flourishing inning. Both lit up the Hagley Oval with their bat. Cricketing World wouldn’t witness such calm and fearless cricket at a grand stage anytime soon. Undoubtedly, she was a standout performer for England. She was the only reason why the English dugout didn’t lose hope when half of the team was back in the pavilion at halfway stage.
England didn’t start the tournament in high spirits. They lost 3 consecutive matches but were fortunate enough to get in form at the business end of the tournament. Evidently, the English team transcended the previous World Cup experience which was to take a multidimensional attacking approach. In the finals, we saw a glimpse of this. It wasn’t a run that put too much pressure on finals but the limited resources in the batting line-up. A number of young talents – Sophie Ecclestone, Sophia Dunkley and Charlotte Dean – played their first-ever World Cup for England. Surely, it was an unforgettable and intriguing experience at the mega stage of Women’s Cricket.
Whether it’s a victory or defeat, there is always a learning curve and wisdom in it. England is an aspiring team and they will put up everything in the right perspective to come back even stronger. For obvious reasons, the World Cup is just a part of the game and it can go either way. What is more essential is these enlightening memories that build special characters in the game and, for sure, you see these outstanding and special individuals taking defeat with a smile because they know they have got a great team and honest fans backing them in contrasting times.
