The dry run for the Women's Quadrangular final at Lord's between England and Australia wasn't the spectacle it could have been as England folded and we were all done before the rain arrived at 4:30.
England won the toss, batted and were soon 18-1 as captain Charlotte Edwards was caught off Sarah Coyte for 2. Next over Laura Marsh also departed, caught at cover by Alex Blackwell after a juggle for 3. The 11th over brought the third wicketas Danielle Wyatt chipped to mid on off Clea Smith and Claire Taylor was bowled by Coyte for 0 to leave England 26-4.
Sarah Taylor and Lydia Greenway tried to steady the innings but Taylor fell LBW to Jess Cameron, the back-up keeper, for 11 to give her her first ODI wicket in her first spell. 54-5 after 18 made 200 look tough but Greenway and Arran Brindle batted well for 10 overs before Cameron made a diving catch at deep midwicket to get Brindle off Shelley Nitschke for 22. Nitschke then caught Greenway for the eventual top score of 34 to give Lisa Sthalekar an easy wicket. The third spinner, Erin Osborne then had Heather Knight caught behind for 13 leaving England 127-8 with 13 overs still to bat. Holly Colvin and Danielle Hazell added 34 for the ninth wicket before Sthalekar cleaned up with two wickets in two overs as Hazell(19) was caught by another diving catch from Cameron then Colvin was stumped by captain Jodie Fields for 29 to end the England innings for 168 with two overs left unbowled. The end would have been sooner had Meg Lanning not dropped a simple catch at cover, but other than that Australia fielded well and England's spinners would have to bowl as well if they were to have a chance.
England's demise was so quick that Australia had to bat for 30 minutes before lunch and after a couple of tight overs from Catherine Brunt and Brindle, all hell began to break loose. Nitschke and young prospect Meg Lanning surged to 42-0 after 10 overs with Lanning scoring 31.
Colvin bowled the first over after lunch from the Nursery end and had removed Lanning to a wild swing to the midwicket boundary where Brindle completed the catch. Lanning made 43 off 33 with 9 fours. This slowed the scoring and when Wyatt had Leah Poulton caught behind for a duck left Australia 59-2 and a possible collapse was on. The problem was that Nitschke and Blackwell are two of the most experienced players in the side and they took the game from England with a steady partnership that gradually sped up as England rotated seven bowlers with no effect. The 100 came up in the 23rd over and the 50 partnership 3 overs later.
Nitschke hit the only six of the match off Colvin into the Grand Stand in the 30th over soon followed by her 50 then Blackwell also passed the milestone. Nitschke couldn't quite last until the end as she was run out after a mix-up with Blackwell and Greenway, after a mis-field, managed to get the return to Sarah Taylor. 153-3 was a bit late and Cameron(10 not out) and Blackwell(54 not out) saw Australia home to win by 7 wickets with 15 overs remaining, just before the 4:30pm rain arrived.
Blackwell was given the match award in this one-sided hammering as the presentation took place in front of the pavilion with the crowd allowed on the outfield. Both these sides will meet again for the Quadrangular final on Thursday and England have to improve if it is to be a better contest.
