The West Indies and New Zealand have never met each in other in an ODI outside of the World Cup. Until this morning, New Zealand had never lost to the women in maroon. Now they find themselves having to battle for their World Cup lives, and although their sternest test still awaits, the West Indies are as close to a World Cup final as they have ever been.
If results go their way, they might not even have to beat Australia to make it given that their net run-rate is already superior to both England’s and New Zealand’s, but they will not be targeting anything less than another upset win to become just the fifth team to appear in a World Cup final.
We can also discard the notion that Australia might be giving anything less than 100% during that game, knowing that a win for the West Indies would in theory mean an easier final. Such weighty matters as the integrity of the game, anti-corruption codes and fierce pride shown by any of the players involved will put paid to that, especially as starting places for the final itself will be up for grabs. It is frankly offensive to Jodie Fields and her players to suggest that it would happen.
There is more chance of the Decision Review System being installed in time for the remaining matches with the costs met by Pope Benedict XVI than Australia throwing the game.
New Zealand could have done with the DRS today as first Sophie Devine and then Kate Broadmore got absolute shockers of leg before decisions given against them. Devine’s was one of the worst I have seen. Thinner edges than the one she hit onto her pad have raced to the boundary. Broadmore’s would have maybe hit a fourth or fifth leg stump on the leg side. You could tell from the body language of the West Indians and how reluctant, almost, they were to appeal, that the shouts were optimistic ones, at best.
Bad (and good) decisions are part and parcel of the game, but this tournament deserves better, and howlers shouldn’t be part of the game. It does open up questions about the quality of umpires assigned to what is, after all, a World Cup, and the premier international tournament women play in. Something to be looked at, and rectified, without doubt. Over to you, ICC. If you want to show how serious you are about promoting and developing the women’s game, you know what to do. (More excellent questions for the ICC here: http://womenincricket.blogspot.com/2013/02/questions-for-iccs-ceo-from-concerned.html)
Still, you make much of your own luck, and New Zealand hadn’t helped themselves by dropping Anisa Mohammed as she launched a counter-attack that rescued the West Indies’ own innings after they were reduced to 117 for six. Stafanie Taylor played a sumptuous knock up top but then they lost their way, only for Shanel Daley and Mohammed to put on a vital 45 runs for the ninth wicket.
Early wickets put New Zealand under pressure but even at 83 for five a modicum of hope coursed through the White Ferns camp as captain fantastic Suzie Bates was still there. Not for long though, and her dismissal, caught and bowled by Mohammed, signaled the beginning of the end. It finally came when Rachel Priest was run out, attempting to finish off the job herself after running out of partners.
So, it all comes down to the final round of Super Six matches, and it is not ideal that England and New Zealand play their game later than the others, so provided Australia win, will know exactly what they will have to do to qualify. It could spark all sorts of chaos. It could even let Sri Lanka – should they thrash South Africa – sneak into the third/fourth place play-off. It would require an unlikely turn of events, such as one of the teams needing to score a big target, quickly, and collapsing dramatically in the process, but in this remarkable World Cup, you could argue that stranger things have happened already.