7:28pm An innings that stuttered, stumbled and ultimately crashed. Pakistan seemed too cautious inside the powerplay and that seemed to flow over once the field restrictions were lifted. None of their batters got going, and Riaz, their top-scorer in the innings, also trickled along to 26 off 32, helped by a few hits to the fence towards the end.

Another clinical and tidy bowling display by the defending champions. They stuck to their plans, bowled at the stumps and rarely offered Pakistan any chances to break free. Gardner picked up four, with Sutherland and Wareham bagging a brace of wickets apiece. Molineux and Schutt were also among the wickets and they had so many options that they did not miss Vlaeminck, who suffered an injury in the first over.

Megan Schutt: (On what helps her succeed) Keeping it pretty simple. Speaks volumes of the team I have had behind me. Pretty stoked to have a good team around me. (Difference between Dubai and Sharjah) Not a huge difference. Cutters were gripping, spinners got some turn. To keep them under a 100 was great. She (Vlaeminck) gives a 100% all the time, which is often her downfall at times (laughs). But we will rally around her and try to keep her happy.

19.5
W
Sutherland to Aliya Riaz, OUT, goes a mile up, and Wareham pouches it! Hard length on middle and leg, daring Riaz to go downtown. She takes up the challenge but comes up second-best. Has a swipe across the line and scuffs it straight up. Wareham comes charging in from long on and does the rest. Pakistan have been rolled over for 82!

Aliya Riaz c Wareham b Sutherland 26 (47m 32b 3x4 0x6) SR: 81.25

19.4
0
Sutherland to Aliya Riaz, no run, slower ball on a back of a length outside off. Riaz is deceived by it and only wafts at thin air
19.3
0
Sutherland to Aliya Riaz, no run, into the blockhole on the stumps. Riaz jams down on it and digs it out towards extra cover
19.2
0
Sutherland to Aliya Riaz, no run, zipped in full on off. Riaz stays leg side and drills it towards cover point
19.1
4
Sutherland to Aliya Riaz, FOUR, four to start off the final over! Pushed in full on leg stump. Riaz backs away and has a mighty mow across the line. Smears it between deep mid wicket and deep backward square leg!

Sutherland to bowl the last over. Keeper up to the stumps. How many can Pakistan get?

END OF OVER:
19 | 3 Runs 3 Wkts | PAK-W: 78/9 | RR: 4.10

  • Aliya Riaz22 (27b)
  • Ashleigh Gardner4-0-21-4
  • Sophie Molineux4-0-19-1
18.6
W
Gardner to Nashra Sandhu, OUT, Australia appeal, and appeal, and appeal, and Vrinda Rathi's finger finally goes up! Fizzed through on a length on off. Spins back into Sandhu, against the natural around-the-wicket angle and rips past the inside edge. Pins Sandhu on the pads and that looked pretty adjacent. Unless....height is an issue. Clear gap between bat and ball, and Ball Tracking returns with Umpire's Call on the 'Wickets' parameter, with the ball hitting the top of middle stump. Sandhu is out first ball, and Gardner has four!

Nashra Sandhu lbw b Gardner 0 (1m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Sandhu is the second-last batter in

18.5
W
Gardner to Syeda Aroob Shah, OUT, the softest of dismissals, and Pakistan are now eight down! Shortish on middle and leg, and this seems to hold in the surface a tad. Aroob is too early into her stroke and pokes it tamely to Mooney at mid wicket. Australia keep chipping away!

Syeda Aroob Shah c Mooney b Gardner 1 (1m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

18.4
1
Gardner to Aliya Riaz, 1 run, length on middle and off. Riaz, after advancing, tries to work to leg but gets a bit of a leading edge towards extra cover
18.3
1
Gardner to Syeda Aroob Shah, 1 run, back of a length on the stumps. Aroob waits for it and works it towards deep mid wicket

Aroob Shah to try her luck with the bat now

18.2
W
Gardner to Tuba Hassan, OUT, Gardner has another! Shortens the length, perhaps pre-empting Tuba to hare down the track. She does so anyway and then has a wild slog across the line. Only connects with fresh air and Healy takes off the bails with precision to send Pakistan spiraling further into trouble!

Tuba Hassan st †Healy b Gardner 3 (8m 6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

18.1
1
Gardner to Aliya Riaz, 1 run, full toss outside off. Riaz reaches out for it and plonks it back past the bowler for a single

Two overs left. Can Pakistan somehow get up to 100? Gardner to bowl the 19th. Around the wicket

END OF OVER:
18 | 8 Runs | PAK-W: 75/6 | RR: 4.16

  • Tuba Hassan3 (5b)
  • Aliya Riaz20 (25b)
  • Sophie Molineux4-0-19-1
  • Ashleigh Gardner3-0-18-1
17.6
0
Molineux to Tuba Hassan, no run, zipped in full, following the batter outside leg. Tuba tugs it towards mid wicket

Naresh: "Has Aussie captain forgotten about bowling Tayla" -- She injured her shoulder in the first over of the game and has been off the field since...

17.5
1
Molineux to Aliya Riaz, 1 run, back of a length outside off. Riaz marches down the track and swings for the hills, shanking it ultimately towards long on
17.4
1
Molineux to Tuba Hassan, 1 run, back of a length outside off. Tuba jabs it towards extra cover and sets off for the single. Would have been tight with a direct hit
17.3
0
Molineux to Tuba Hassan, no run, back of a length on leg stump. No room to work with and Tuba prods it back to the bowler
17.2
1
Molineux to Aliya Riaz, 1 run, length just outside off. Riaz gets down on one knee and swipes at it. Misses it and the ball deflects off her thigh pad towards short fine leg

Back to around the wicket

17.1
4
Molineux to Aliya Riaz, FOUR, Two fours in two overs for Riaz! Slanted across full and wide outside off. Riaz has ample room to work with and comes down the track to carve it over extra cover!
17.1
1w
Molineux to Aliya Riaz, 1 wide, sprayed way outside off. Left alone by Riaz and called a wide

Here's Molineux. Over the wicket

Odinlass: "Any attempt at hiting a boundary has basically ended up being a catch" -- Sums it up...

END OF OVER:
17 | 9 Runs 1 Wkt | PAK-W: 67/6 | RR: 3.94

  • Tuba Hassan2 (2b)
  • Aliya Riaz14 (22b)
  • Ashleigh Gardner3-0-18-1
  • Sophie Molineux3-0-11-1
16.6
0
Gardner to Tuba Hassan, no run, full, fast and wide outside off. Tuba opens her bat face and dabs it towards short third
16.5
2
Gardner to Tuba Hassan, 2 runs, length delivery that pitches on middle stump and spins down leg. Tuba gets inside the line and paddles it past short fine leg for a couple of runs
16.4
1
Gardner to Aliya Riaz, 1 run, fullish on middle and leg. Riaz skips down the track again and flicks it towards deep mid wicket
16.3
0
Gardner to Aliya Riaz, no run, fired in on a length on off. Riaz advances and then plays all over it. Gets rapped on the pads
16.2
4
Gardner to Aliya Riaz, FOUR, finds the fence, and to say that that is a much-needed boundary will be an understatement! Angled in full on middle and off. Riaz dances down the track and whips it between deep mid wicket and long on!

AUS Women 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st36AJ HealyBL Mooney
2nd33AJ HealyEA Perry
2nd14EA PerryA Gardner