ICC Women's World Cup: Gardner smashes fastest ton to guide Australia to six wicket win over England

Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], October 22 (ANI): An all-round performance from Annabel Sutherland and a record-breaking century by Ash Gardner helped Australia romp past England by six wickets at Indore in their ICC Women's World Cup fixture on Wednesday.

With this win, Australia is at the top of the points table, having won five matches and drawn one, continuing their unbeaten run. England is in third with four wins, a loss and no result.

Opener Tammy Beaumont's resilient 78 and some valuable contributions from Alice Capsey in lower order from Alice Capsey and Charlie Dean helped England reach 244.

Australia won the toss and opted to bowl first. Amy Jones (18) started well with Beaumont, putting up a 55-run opening stand, but England crumbled to 166/6 in 39.1 overs, with Heather Knight (20 in 27 balls, with three fours) and Sophia Dunkley (22) unable to convert their starts into something big.

Capsey (38 in 32 balls, with five fours) and Dean (26 in 27 balls, with three fours) put on a 61-run stand for the seventh wicket and the team ended just short of the 250-run mark.

Annabel Sutherland (3/60) was the pick of the bowlers for Australia, with Ash Gardner and Sophie Molineux getting two wickets. Alana King also managed to pick up a wicket.

Beaumont's (78 in 105 balls, with 10 fours and a six) knock helped her become the ninth-highest run-getter in ODIs of all time, while, despite her failure, Nat Sciver Brunt (7) managed to secure her spot in the 1,000 Women's World Cup runs club, becoming the ninth player to do so. Now, Beaumont has scored 4,698 runs in 138 ODIs and 128 innings at an average of 40.85, with 12 centuries and 24 fifties to her name, outdoing former New Zealand batter Amy Satterthwaite.

On the other hand, Brunt has scored 1,003 runs in 24 Women's WC matches and 22 innings at an average of 52.78, with five centuries, the most by a player in women's WC and two fifties, with the best score of 148*.

During the run-chase, Linsey Smith (2/43) and Lauren Bell (1/48) reduced Australia to 68/4. However, Gardner (104* in 73 balls, with 16 fours) and Sutherland (98* in 112 balls, with nine fours put on a match-winning 180-run partnership for the fourth wicket, winning the match in 40.3 overs.

Gardner's century came in 69 balls, the fastest in ICC Women's World Cup history, outdoing West Indies' star Deandra Dottin's 71-ball ton against Pakistan back in 2017. This is her third ODI ton, the most by a batter batting number six or below in women's ODI history.

In this tournament, Gardner has scored 265 runs in four innings at an average of 88.33, at a strike rate of over 128, with two centuries and a best score of 115.

The 180* run partnership between Gardner and Sutherland is the second-highest for the 5th wicket or below in ODIs, standing behind the 188* runs fifth wicket stand between England's Jane Smit and Claire Taylor against Sri Lanka at Lincoln in the 2000 edition of the 50-over WC.

Australia have outdone Sri Lanka's 239-run chase against England in 2013 to chase down the highest total against England in the 50-over Women's WC.

Annabel earned the 'Player of the Match' award for her 98* and three wickets. (ANI)

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