Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 results: Ash Gardner and Annabel Sutherland lead Australia to win over England

England lost their first match of the Women’s World Cup, a six-wicket defeat to formidable defending champions Australia in Indore.

Australia suffered a wobble at the top of the order, falling to 24-3 and 68-4, thanks to an impeccable partnership of 180 between Annabel Sutherland and Ash Gardner that took them to victory with 9.3 overs to spare.

Sutherland, who also took three wickets in England’s 244-9 rout, finished with 98 and Gardner scored a sensational 104 from 73 balls as Australia’s surprising batting depth came to the fore again.

England had positive starts, particularly from openers Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones, and they punished an unusually sloppy start by the Australian bowlers, scoring 55 in eight overs.

But Jones’ rejection by beauty Sutherland put the brakes on.

Beaumont found much-needed form by top-scoring with 78 but the middle order came to a halt, instigated by leg-spinner Alana King, who took 1-20 in 10 overs.

England’s middle-order glue Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt managed to score just 20 and 7 respectively, while Sophia Dunkley stuttered with 22 from 48 balls and Emma Lamb’s struggle for six continued with another single-figure score.

Charlie Dean rescued England once again with the bat, adding a valuable 61 from 52 balls with Alice Capsey scoring an entertaining 38, but Australia’s superstar all-rounders proved the total was still significantly below par when faced with such an excellent batting line-up.

The duo cautiously began rebuilding the innings before switching gears to punish the England bowling attack and had no answers, neither offering chances in a one-day batting masterclass.

There wasn’t much out there, given that both teams had already qualified for the semi-finals, but it was yet another reminder to the rest of the world of what would be required to dethrone the juggernaut.