Alana King of Australia celebrates after dismissing Tammy Beaumont of England. Photo / Getty
Alana King of Australia celebrates after dismissing Tammy Beaumont of England. Photo / Getty
It was a sad day in Australian cricket but a three-wicket Shane Warne-inspired spin bowling haul against England has helped bring a bit of light to Australian cricket fans.
In a match made solemn by tragic circumstances, an Australian team playing with two black armbands in tribute to departed greats Warne and Rod Marsh beat England by 12 runs in their opening match of the Cricket World Cup.
A spectacular partnership between captain Meg Lanning and Rachael Haynes helped Australia post 310-3, and despite making a gallant stand in the final 10 overs, England were just unable to chase it down in the final over.
Aussie leg spinner Alana King, who idolised the King of Spin, broke the game open, taking three key wickets.
The 26-year-old leggie first claimed the scalp of Tammy Beaumont for 74. King tossed a ball up and it dipped, beating Beaumont for flight as the English opener was left stranded out of her crease.
Wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy knocked off the bails and Beaumont was on her way.
King celebrated the wicket by slapping the armbands on her left sleeve in a tribute to Warne.
Making the moment even more fitting was the fact Healy, the niece of former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy — who was behind the stumps for much of Warne's illustrious career — completed the stumping.
King's heroics didn't end there. She dismissed Amy Jones for four and Sophia Dunkley for 28, finishing with figures of 3-59 off her 10 overs.
Australian players celebrate the wicket of England's Amy Jones. Photo / AP
Those wickets proved crucial as England fought hard but ultimately fell just short of what would have been an epic victory.
England's chase was boosted by Beaumont (74 off 82) and Heather Knight (40 off 51), but Nat Sciver gave Australia a major fright, with her unbeaten 109 off 85 giving England a chance in the final overs.
England needed 36 from the last three overs, 26 from the last two and 16 from the final over but fell short, finishing at 298-8.
Jess Johansen, who had given up 16 runs from her first two overs, mostly to Sciver, bowled the last over and held her nerve to clinch Australia's win.
Opener Haynes had earlier made 130 from 131 balls and captain Lanning 86 as Australia scored the highest total posted against England in a World Cup match.
Haynes and Lanning put on 196 for Australia's second wicket in the partnership on which the innings was founded.
"It was hard at the beginning, they bowled well early on," Lanning said. "Rachael played really well to weather the early storm. Rachael's innings was brilliant. She was in control, got through early, took good risks at the right time. It's certainly one of her best innings."
It was Haynes' second century in one-day internationals and her highest score, eclipsing her 118 against Sri Lanka in Brisbane in 2019. Lanning posted her 18th one-day international half century and helped Haynes pace the Australian innings, an innings that was just good enough to hold on against England's fightback.
In Dunedin, Ayabonga Khaka took 4-32, including her 100th wicket in one-day internationals, as South Africa beat Bangladesh by 32 runs.
