Women's World Cup: Mithali Raj steers India into semi-finals
New Zealand miss out after crushing 186-run defeat in Derby
Saturday 15 July 2017 23:49, UK
India skipper Mithali Raj scored her sixth ODI century to steer her side into the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup at New Zealand's expense.
Raj - who overtook ex-England captain Charlotte Edwards as the leading run scorer in Women's ODIs while hitting 69 versus Australia on Wednesday - guided India to 265-7 in their winner-takes-all encounter with the White Ferns before New Zealand were shot out for 79 to lose by 186 runs.
Raj (109) shared century stands with Veda Krishnamurthy (70) and Harmanpreet Kaur (60) in Derby and fell just five runs short of her career-best ODI total, the 114 not out she posted on debut against Ireland in 1999.
The 34-year-old's exit in the final over, holing out to deep midwicket off the bowling of off-spinner Leigh Kasperek (3-45), ensured she was dismissed for the first time in the hundreds in ODIs, having remained not out the previous five times she had reached three figures.
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New Zealand's reply started terribly with captain Suzie Bates (1) and Rachel Priest (5) dismissed in the first three overs and their innings lasted just 25.3 overs - spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad taking 5-15.
Amy Satterthwaite (26), Katey Martin (12) and Amelia Kerr (12no) were the only New Zealanders to reach double figures as the World Cup champions from 2000 suffered their earliest exit in the competition.
Australia secured second spot in the standings, behind England, after defeating fourth-placed South Africa by 59 runs at Taunton.
The Southern Stars will now face India in the second-semi-final, at Derby on Thursday, with South Africa battling England, at Bristol, two days earlier, with both games live on Sky Sports.
Australia slumped from 229-4 in the 41st over to 269 all out in the 49th as South Africa leg-spinner Sune Luus claimed five wickets, including Ellyse Perry (55) and Nicole Bolton (79), the latter having put on 114 with opening partner Beth Mooney (53).
Perry, Jess Jonassen and Rachael Haynes then claimed two wickets apiece as South Africa were bowled out for 210 in 50 overs - the Proteas losing 7-62 once Laura Wolvaardt departed for 71.
Stand-in Aussie skipper Haynes, deputising for the rested Meg Lanning, had earlier been caught and bowled by opposing captain and leading wicket-taker in the tournament, Dane Van Niekerk (2-41) for a six-ball duck, Van Niekerk later making Alex Blackwell (33) her 15th victim of the competition, three more than compatriot Marizanne Kapp.
Pakistan, meanwhile, finished bottom of the table after a 15-run defeat to Sri Lanka at Leicester - their seventh loss in as many matches and Sri Lanka's first victory of the campaign.
Nain Abidi's 57 came in vain for Sana Mir's side as spinner Chandima Gunaratne (4-41) helped bowl Pakistan out for 206 in 46.4 overs, after Sri Lanka had posted 221-7 - Dilani Manodara hitting 84.
