T20 World Cup: Australia thrash England to win seventh title

T20 World Cup final at Lord’s

England 150-4 (20 overs): Sciver-Brunt 58* (53), Kemp 44 (28)

Australia 153-3 (over 17.1): Mooney 64 (49), Litchfield 48* (35)

Australia won by seven wickets

scorecard

England’s T20 World Cup hopes were dashed as Australia clinched their seventh title with a comprehensive seven-wicket victory at Lord’s.

For all England’s progress up to this point, their Ashes rivals have ensured that the home team will not be awarded a first trophy since their iconic win on this ground in 2017; Instead, Australia made an emphatic display of its strengths.

England struggled to make 150-4 (skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt needed 53 off 58 balls) and Australia put that score into ruthless context.

After Georgia Voll was bowled out by Lauren Bell in the second over, Phoebe Litchfield and Beth Mooney put together a disdainful partnership of 100 in just 67 balls.

By the time Litchfield fell for 48, Australia needed only 34 runs from 42 balls.

Before Mooney became another part of the England-Australia debate, he shot a superb 64 to put them across the finish line in 11th place.

With seven runs needed, Sophie Ecclestone appeared to have taken a clean catch to dismiss Ellyse Perry in the 17th over, but Perry was called back by the TV umpire.

The crowd booed and Ecclestone became enraged, but it had no effect. The winning runs came as England’s spinner bowled five wides in the next over.

The margin of victory prevented the tournament from being a competitive finale of the day; In another milestone in the women’s game, Lord’s was filled by a packed crowd.

This is a positive development for England, as are signs of the progress they have shown in this tournament under Charlotte Edwards’ coaching, but Australia were ultimately top class once again.