Australia continued their dominance in women’s T20 cricket, beating England by seven wickets at London’s Lord’s Stadium on Sunday to win the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup for the seventh time.Chasing 151, the highest target set in a Women’s T20 World Cup final, Australia completed the task at 153/3 with 17 balls to spare in 17.1 overs.The chase was built around Beth Mooney, who scored 64 runs off 49 balls, hitting 10 fours, and Phoebe Litchfield, who scored 48 runs off 35 balls, hitting 6 fours and 2 sixes.Mooney and Litchfield combined for a 100-run lead from the second round to the 13th round off 67 balls.Lichfield were 34 points shy of victory, while Mooney was 11 points shy of the inevitable after Australia’s third 50-run win in the last three finals.England removed the in-form Mooney in the 16th over, being trapped lbw by Sophie Ecclestone, but Australia’s batting depth meant the result was unchanged. The win came in unusual fashion when Ecclestone bowled five wickets in the 18th over. Another stalwart, Ellyse Perry, oversaw victory in the middle with 17 balls remaining to claim her seventh World T20 trophy.Earlier, England captain Nat Seaver-Brent smashed an unbeaten 58 off 53 balls while Freya Kemp added an unbeaten 44 off 28 balls after being asked to bat first to help England lead at 150/4.The duo came to England’s rescue with an 80-run partnership for the fifth wicket after the Australian bowlers controlled the scoring for most of the innings.Seaver Brunt hit five fours while Kemp hit four boundaries and a six.Australia captain Sophie Molyneux chose to bowl first and her decision paid off as the bowling attack restricted England despite Perry not bowling due to injury.England hit just 2 sixes in 20 overs, one each from Alice Kapusi and Kemp.Australia’s spin attack, led by Molineux (1/32) and Georgia Wareham (0/9 from two overs), controlled the middle overs, while Kim Gase and Annabelle Sutherland also kept the pressure on with disciplined bowling and changes of pace.Brief results:England Women: 150/4 (20 overs)Australia Women: 153/3 (17.1 overs)
