Cricket: Australian juggernaut cruises to final

Australia sounded an ominous warning to either New Zealand or India for the women's World Cup cricket final on Saturday by the manner in which openers Lisa Keightley and Belinda Clark demolished the semifinal target against South Africa yesterday.

Keightley and Clark made light work of overhauling South Africa's 180 for eight at BIL Oval, at Lincoln, near Christchurch as they swept to a nine-wicket victory in just 31.2 overs. It was identical to the margin in the teams' round robin game.

With an understanding built on eight years playing together at club, provincial and international level, Keightley and Clark shared a 170-run opening stand from only 158 balls.

It needed the third umpire to separate them, with Clark stumped off a wide after a finely crafted 75 from 79 balls, including eight fours.

Keightley, 29, carried on to the finish to plunder an unbeaten 91 from 97 balls, with 13 boundaries, to continue her outstanding tournament form.

"We had no special plan, just the same as always - get a good start and scamper as many runs as we can," player-of-the-match Keightley said.

The pair had the run rate rocketing along at six an over with a combination of pressure running between the wickets and piercing the field with powerful strokeplay.

"We know each other's games pretty well and just get on with it," Keightley said.

She thinks New Zealand will be Australia's opponents in the final and, if that's the case, expects the match to be a "humdinger".

"Our games with them are usually very close and I'd expect nothing less in the final."

South African skipper Kim Price said her side, after being sent in, sought to place Australia under some pressure and, to a degree, succeeded.

"But 180 was never going to be enough on a good wicket, we needed to get 220. Then we bowled both sides of the wicket which didn't help.

"Their openers are just so good though they make you look worse than you probably really are," she said.

South Africa host the 2005 World Cup and Price, who retired after yesterday's game, believes the team will be a greater force then, having already made substantial progress.

"Two years ago we were only scoring around 120. Watch out in 2005."

New Zealand and India meet in the second semifinal tomorrow.

- NZPA