Meg’s all-round gig spells revenge

Australia and England have played two matches in the T20 tri-series at the Brabourne Stadium, Cricket Club of India and the results have been starkly one-sided. In the first game, England beat Australia by eight wickets and on Wednesday, the Aussies paid back in their own coin. They won by six wickets with 51 balls to spare.

Meg Lanning’s team put up such a skilful and efficient display on the field in the first half that it embarrassed Heather Knight’s England; knocked over for the second lowest score of 96 in 30 internationals.

READ: Lanning censored from taking questions on Australia’s ball tampering row

Australia lost two quick wickets, but thereafter Ellyse Perry and Lanning cut loose; they hit 17 boundaries and raised 85 runs for the unbeaten second wicket partnership.

Choosing to field, Australia’s seam and spin combination sent back England’s top five batsmen to the pavilion by the middle of the seventh over with only 40 runs on the board. The next five added 56 with Alice Davidson-Richards contributing 24 in her first opportunity with the bat.

England celebrated the wickets of opener Alyssa Healy and Elyse Villani, but Lanning who had taken a spectacular catch at mid off to cut short the innings of Natalie Sciver in the first session, played a brilliant knock of an unbeaten 41, hitting five boundaries in a single over off Danielle Hazell, England’s highest wicket taker (76) in the Twenty20 format. Australia raced to a win with Ellyse hammering seamer Jenny Gunn for four boundaries in the 10th over.

Lanning also became the first Australian to cross the 2,000 run-mark in 73 matches. “It’s nice to be able to contribute today. I played a little bit of a different role in this tournament which I have really enjoyed,’’ she said.

The two teams will meet in the final on Saturday.

India will take on England in the last league match on Thursday.

Brief scores: England 96 in 17.4 (Delissa Kimmince three for 20, Jess Jonassen two for 21, Megan Schutt two for 13) lost to Australia 97 for 2 in 11.3 overs (Ellyse Perry 47 not out, Meg Lanning 41 not out)