Australia 127 for 2 (Mooney 61*, Gardner 35*; Henry 1-20) beat West Indies 125 for 7 (Matthews 30, Dottin 26*; Gardner 2-13) by 8 wickets
The West Indies have been eliminated from the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup following an eight-wicket loss to Australia in the first semi-final at The Oval earlier today.
The Caribbean side struggled for rhythm batting first, allowing Australia to race to the well-below-par total for victory.
Australia, unchanged from victory over India at Lord’s on Sunday, won the toss and elected to field, with Lucy Hamilton’s first ball driven for four by Hayley Matthews.
The West Indies skipper hit further boundaries off Kim Garth and Sophie Molineux but run-scoring proved difficult throughout the powerplay.
They finished it 35 without loss, before Qiana Joseph, struggling for rhythm, was dropped on the boundary by Georgia Voll.
The pressure told on Matthews in the ninth over, bowled for 30 attempting a paddle sweep of Georgia Wareham’s first delivery, before Molineux ended Joseph’s difficult innings on 16.
Stafanie Taylor and Jahzara Claxton followed soon after, both dismissed by the impressive Ashleigh Gardner (2/13) for ducks as the West Indies slipped to 59 for four.
Chinelle Henry made 10 before Annabel Sutherland took a smart catch running around at long-on off Molineux (2/30).
Shemaine Campbelle offered some resistance on her way to 22, before hitting straight to Ellyse Perry off Wareham (2/17), bringing Deandra Dottin to the crease.
The 35-year-old prompted concern when she was pictured being carried towards the dressing room by her teammates shortly after the anthems, but she recovered to make a courageous cameo for her side.
She combined with Jannillea Glasgow, putting on 42 before the latter was dismissed off the final ball, with the West Indies reaching 125 for seven, Dottin unbeaten on 26.
Georgia Voll whacked Chinelle Henry’s fourth ball of the reply for six and crashed consecutive boundaries off the same bowler two overs later as she got the chase off to a flyer.
Henry soon had her revenge, bowling the ICC’s number-one-ranked batter for 16 before Hayley Matthews trapped Phoebe Litchfield (4) LBW after review, Australia 43 for two.
The West Indies’ only ICC Women’s T20 World Cup victory over Australia came in the 2016 final, having been beaten by them in three of their six semi-finals, and Mooney was clearly determined to extend that record.
She fired Jahzara Claxton’s first over of the tournament for 18 as her side raced to 63 for two at the end of the powerplay.
Ashleigh Gardner chipped in after Ellyse Perry (2) had retired hurt, following a straight six off Afy Fletcher with a four over the covers.
Mooney’s 29-ball half-century came up in the 11th over, her second of the tournament, and she and Gardner eased their side toward the finish line.
Gardner finished it with a four, ending 35 not out off 20 balls, as Australia continued their fine ICC Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final record, their eighth win having been reached at this stage in all 10 editions of the competition.
