Final line up decided

Headlines

- West Indies beat Australia by 8 runs
- Defending champions England bow out
- Australia v West Indies final

The West Indies shocked the cricket world today and qualified for the 2013 world cup final, knocking out defending champions England in the process.

With an 8-run victory over Australia the world's number 5 team - ranked as huge outsiders before the tournament - set up a rematch with the Southern Stars on Saturday morning.

The win knocked out both New Zealand and England who will pay each other again on Friday morning to determine third and fourth place.

Follow updates and reaction on twitter @womencricket

First weekend - thrills, spills and surprises

Headlines

- All four teams in Group A in with a shout of the super six
- England in shock defeat to Sri Lanka, but recover against India
- Australia and New Zealand cruising ahead of their first clash
- England skipper Charlotte Edwards breaks ODI record

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The opening weekend of the Women's World Cup produced drama of the highest order, as champions England were pipped by a plucky Sri Lankan team by just one wicket thanks to a superb 56 from middle-order ace Eshani Kaushalya.

England bounced back to beat India by 32 runs two days later with opening bowler Katherine Brunt (4-29) particularly vocal in victory and captain Charlotte Edwards registering yet another international hundred to break the record for most runs in ODI cricket.

This sets up Group A perfectly for a 3.30am start on Tuesday morning, as all four teams have a chance of making the next stage. England play West Indies and India host Sri Lanka.

In group B the form book has remained intact, as second favourites Australia and the tournament dark horses New Zealand have both registered enough points to qualify for the super sixes already with back-to-back victories. They face each other on Tuesday morning to see who will top the group.

Tune into twitter tomorrow to get the latest on the world cup matches: @womencricket

Women's World Cup 2013 - Day One

Headlines

- India beat West Indies by 105 runs
- Thirush Kamini hits a sparkling hundred in opening game
- Cup holders England keen to avoid any early slip ups
- Australia set to take on Pakistan and New Zealand face South Africa

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India made a dream start to the 2013 World Cup by thrashing the West Indies thanks largely to a sparkling performance by Thirush Kamini. The opening bat powered her way to 100 off just 146 balls before being expertly ran out by Deandra Dottin.

The Windies were no match for the tournament hosts as they succumbed to 179 all out, despite Dottin scoring a quick-fire 39 after she had already taken 3-32 in the Indian innings.

Speaking after the game, Indian captain Mithali Raj, who is captaining her country at her fourth World Cup, said: "The partnership between Kamini, who became the first Indian to score a century in the World Cup, and Raut was very important and I hope they continue to do so against the good sides because it is very important that whether you bat or field you must have a good opening stand."

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At 3.30am (GMT) tomorrow, cup holders England kick off their defence at the same venue against a plucky Sri Lankan team. Skipper Charlotte Edwards is keen for her side to get off to a clinical start and will be hoping they avoid any early slip ups.

She said: "We see the World Cup as a real challenge. Playing and winning in India will be the biggest challenge we've been up against in recent times, hence the reason for training so hard. We have all been fortunate to play a lot in India recently, which certainly helps. It's a World Cup, it only comes around every four years, so this is a really exciting challenge for the team."

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In the other two games, Australia will start as strong favourites against an inexperienced Pakistan side, and form team New Zealand, who have beaten both England and Australia in recent weeks, will face South Africa.

Expect more fireworks tomorrow - all three games start at 3.30am

Follow us on twitter for updates throughout the day @womencricket

ICC Women's World Cup 2013 fixtures

We like to make things easy, so we have collated all the fixtures for you - including the warm up matches...

 

Mumbai venues: Brabourne Stadium [aka Cricket Club of India], Middle Income Group Ground (MIG), Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai Police Gymkhana (MPG)

Cuttack venues: Barabati Stadium, Driems Cricket Ground (DCG)

WARM-UP MATCHES (all star at 3.30am GMT)
January 
28 England v South Africa, Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium)
28 India v New Zealand, Mumbai (BKC) 
28 West Indies v Australia, Mumbai (MIG)
28 New Local XI v Sri Lanka, Mumbai (MPG)
28 Pakistan v Local XI, Cuttack (Barabati Stadium)
29 India v Australia, Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium) 
29 West Indies v Local XI, Mumbai (MPG)
29 England v New Zealand, Mumbai (BKC)
29 Sri Lanka v South Africa, Mumbai (MIG)
30 Pakistan v Local XI, Cuttack (Barabati Stadium)

GROUP STAGE

Group A: England (A1), India (A2), West Indies (A3), Sri Lanka (A4)

Group B: Australia (B1), New Zealand (B2), Pakistan (B3), South Africa (B4)

 
Jan
31 India v West Indies (d/n), Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium) (9am GMT)
 
February (all games start at 3.30am GMT, unless stated)
1 England v Sri Lanka, Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium)
1 New Zealand v South Africa, Cuttack (DCG)
1 Australia v Pakistan, Cuttack (Barabati Stadium)
3 India v England, Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium)
3 Sri Lanka v West Indies, Mumbai (MIG)
3 New Zealand v Pakistan, Cuttack (Barabati Stadium)
3 Australia v South Africa, Cuttack (DCG)
5 India v Sri Lanka (d/n), Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium) (9am GMT)
5 England v West Indies, Mumbai (BKC)
5 Pakistan v South Africa, Cuttack (Barabati Stadium)
5 Australia v New Zealand, Cuttack (DCG)

SUPER SIX STAGE

Teams retain their ranking from the group stage no matter where they qualify - for example, England will be A1 whether they finish first, second or third. If A4 (Sri Lanka) or B4 (South Africa) qualify, they will adopt the ranking of the team they replace in the Super Six

(all games starts at 3.30am, unless stated)
 
7 7th/8th place play-off, Cuttack (DCG - or Barabati Stadum if Pakistan feature)
8 A1 v B1, Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium)
8 A2 v B2, Mumbai (BKC)
8 A3 v B3, Cuttack (Barabati Stadium)
10 A2 v B1, Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium)
10 A1 v B3, Cuttack (Barabati Stadium)
11 A3 v B2, Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium)
13 A1 v B2 (d/n), Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium) (9am GMT)
13 A3 v B1, Mumbai (MIG)
13 A2 v B3, Cuttack (Barabati Stadium)
15 5th/6th place play-off, Cuttack (Barabati Stadium)
15 3rd/4th place play-off, Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium)

FINAL

17 Final (d/n), Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium) (9am GMT)

Taylor lined up to play men's cricket at Sussex

Sarah Taylor, the England wicketkeeper, has revealed she is in discussions to play men's second XI county cricket later this year.

Taylor, who will shortly fly to India for the Women's World Cup, is hoping to play for the Sussex second XI at some point during the 2013 season.

 

Mark Lane, the England Women's coach, has led the way in trying to secure Taylor a spot in a men's team and the plan is for her to start with Birmingham League side Walmley. A number of the England women's team play regular men's club cricket.

"Mark is looking at me getting some games with the second XI at Sussex and that will be just phenomenal cricket," Taylor told the Guardian. "The plan is also for me to play some early season games for the MCC boys. Mark is trying to get me a lot of men's cricket which can only help my game."

Taylor, 23, would target the longer form of limited-overs cricket where the difference in power would be more easily accommodated. One of the measurable differences between the women's and men's game is that it is played with a slightly smaller cricket ball.

"There's part of me doubting myself," she said. "I've just got to start believing in myself a little bit more. But I would love to do it. It would be such a challenge - facing a bigger ball and bigger bowlers. But I'd have to look at myself after the second XI games and say: 'Can you handle this?'"

Taylor is regarded as one of the finest women cricketers of all time. She averages 39.42 from 71 one-day internationals including four hundreds and has a strike-rate of 112 from her 46 Twenty20s (the fifth-highest among players to have made 15 or more appearances) alongside an average of 32.94.

In 2011, Taylor's England team-mate Arran Brindle became the first woman to score a hundred in men's Premier League cricket as she hit 128 for Louth in the Lincolnshire League

In-form Niekerk puts South Africa two up

South Africa have gone two-nil up in their three-match series with the West Indies, thanks largely to another match-winning performance from Dané van Niekerk.

In a low scoring game at Warner Park, St Kitts, the ladies in green comfortably chased down 128 with four wickets and two overs to spare.

After taking 5-28 in the first game, including a stunning a hat-trick, Niekirk provided exactly the stability her team needed with an assured 33 not out.

Batting first, the Windies scored a below-par 128 all out – a score that should never have been enough – but the visitors did wobble at 90-6 before Niekerk was joined by Sunette Loubser (14no) to confirm the victory.

The West Indies will now have a chance to bounce back in match three, which takes place this Saturday at Windsor Park in Dominica. Start time is 1.30pm GMT.

Gunn is calling the shots for Notts

England’s Jenny Gunn will captain Nottinghamshire this year, it has been revealed today.

Gunn, second in command for England, takes the reins of a side buoyed by the addition of international team-mate Danni Wyatt from Staffordshire.

Coach Gary Lambert said: “For the first time in a number of years we will have the capacity to challenge the leading teams in Division One.

“We have gone through a difficult period of time recently but the signings of (Wyatt) and some talented youngsters coming through has given us reason to be optimistic for the season ahead.

“Our aims will be looking to finish top three of the championship and progress through to finals day in the Twenty20 competition.”