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McGlashan sets up New Zealand-Australia final

GROS ISLET, Saint Lucia - Sara McGlashan saw New Zealand into the final of the women’s World Twenty20 against arch-rivals Australia as her superb innings of 84 set up a 56-run over the West Indies here on Friday.

McGlashan’s innings was the cornerstone of the White Ferns’ 180 for five, the highest total of this tournament so far.

In reply, the West Indies chased gamely but were held to 124 for eight.

Now New Zealand, last year’s losing finalists against England at Lord’s will face Australia - a side they’ve beaten six times in a row - in Sunday’s final at Barbados’s Kensington Oval.

The destiny of the match was far from certain when New Zealand were 49 for two but a strand of 93 at nearly 11 an over between McGlashan and Sophie Devine took the game away from the home side.

McGlashan, whose brother Peter has played for the New Zealand men’s team, faced just 55 balls with two superb straight sixes and six fours.

“West Indies are a strong team and they have some explosive batters, so we knew we had to put on a big score,” McGlashan told AFP.

Reflecting on her own innings, the 28-year-old added: “When you’ve been in the team as long as I have, you are expected to perform.”

Looking ahead to the final, McGlashan said: “We’ve got to take each game as it comes. What we’ve done in the past doesn’t matter too much but we will take a lot of confidence into the game.”

Meanwhile New Zealand captain Aimee Watkins was delighted to have another chance at World Twenty20 glory so soon after last year’s disappointment.

“We are lucky we’ve got two bites of the cherry, to have another crack at the Twenty20 World Cup,” she said.

“It’s not often you’ll have another one within 12 months of the last one.

“The girls have worked really, really hard, so to win on Sunday would be massive for us. Arch-rivals Australia: it’s going to be a good game.”

Earlier, it seemed McGlashan might join West Indies’ Deandra Dottin in scoring a century at this tournament until she was run out by Shakera Selman’s direct hit from short third man.

West Indies, coached by former Test batsman Sherwin Campbell, made a bold start under the Beausejour floodlights with Stafanie Taylor in fine form as she struck two sixes off leg-spinner Erin Bermingham to the delight of home fans.

But Taylor was run out for 40 made at better than a run-a-ball by McGlashan.

The West Indies’ collapse continued when teenage sensation Dottin fell for just one, caught by wicketkeeper Rachel Priest off Nicola Browne.

That left the home team 76 for four and there was no way back with Watkins finishing with figures of three wickets for 26 runs.

“Chasing 180 in a semi-final game is a lot, it was 20-30 runs just too much to chase,” said Campbell.

But he was proud of the way his youthful side, who knocked champions England out in the pool stage, had performed during the tournament.

“They are a young team but the kids will learn from this experience,” Campbell said. “I don’t think many (West Indies) fans knew the standard of women’s cricket and how high it was.

“I think they will hopefully appreciate it a bit more now.”