Fantastic finales

The inaugural edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2009 climaxed with hosts England pitted against New Zealand in a hotly-anticipated final at Lord’s. England had been in scintillating form throughout the competition and did not disappoint on the big day, bundling out the White Ferns for a paltry score of 85. The English bowling brigade was spearheaded by the fiery Katherine Brunt, whose spell of three wickets for just six runs put her team firmly in control. Sporting a black eye and producing menacing in-swingers at will, Brunt was a woman on a mission, as she helped reduce New Zealand to 30 for four in the first 10 overs. Making the most of the early signs of life in the Lord’s pitch, Brunt varied her length dexterously, provoking poor shot selection from Lucy Doolan and Rachel Priest to bag her second and third wickets. Brunt’s first scalp, though, was no batting lapse, but a product of masterful fast bowling. Pitching on middle and off, Brunt’s delivery to New Zealand’s top run-getter Aimee Watkins straightened unexpectedly, before setting back the off stump and providing England with a huge breakthrough. Having drawn first blood in the contest, Brunt and England never relinquished their momentum, and went on to clinch the final comfortably with six wickets and 18 balls remaining.

Australia’s stranglehold on the T20 World Cup began in 2010 when they narrowly edged out New Zealand at Bridgetown to bag their maiden title in the shortest format of the game. Batting first, the Aussies could only muster up a modest score of 106, and New Zealand seemed favourites to redeem themselves from a year ago by getting the better of their arch rivals. But a shaky batting performance from the women in black meant that the match went right down to the wire with New Zealand requiring five runs off the last ball to be crowned champions. As Australia’s equivalent of the Swiss army knife, Ellyse Perry, charged in, Sophie Devine — New Zealand’s top-scorer on the day — was on strike. Devine punched a powerful drive from Perry’s ball that seemed fated to rock the boundary ropes, but Perry had other plans. An international footballer who has represented Australia at the FIFA World Cup, Perry demonstrated her wonderful foot work and stuck out a right boot to intercept Devine’s shot and deflect the ball to mid-on, conceding just a single in the process. For her three wickets and some last-minute footy skills, Perry was rightly adjudged woman of the match, as Australia kick-started their love affair with the tournament they would come to make their own.

The 2012 final went down to the wire once more, and yet again Australia held their nerve to cross the finish line, this time seeing off England in Colombo. For much of the final, the women in gold and green called the shots, outplaying the English, who had enjoyed a stellar run to the final. With bat in hand, Australia posted a challenging total of 142, led by an effervescent 45-run knock by Jess Cameron, whose batting arsenal was on full display on the big occasion. Cameron manipulated the opposition field with ease, making particularly clever use of the sweep shot to unsettle England’s bowlers. In their reply, the English women made a solid start, with star player Charlotte Edwards looking in imperious touch. However, a cluster of wickets in the middle overs derailed England’s hopes, with Jess Jonassen doing the most damage with three crucial strikes. Despite some lacklustre catching from Australia in the closing exchanges, they did enough to retain their crown, although Danielle Hazel could have reversed the script had she been able to smash the final ball for a six. Instead, Hazel’s mistimed blow only travelled as far as midwicket, ensuring a second successive triumph for a spectacularly consistent Australian outfit.

A fourth Australian title was on the cards as Eden Gardens witnessed the 2016 final, with West Indies being the latest country stepping forward in the gauntlet to prevent Australia from adding to their trophy cabinet. Batting first, Australia exhibited their big game pedigree with an impressive performance and an imposing tally of 148 runs. Half-centuries from Elyse Villani and Meg Lanning meant that the Windies had it all to do as they came out in pursuit of their stiff target in the iconic ambience of the Eden. West Indies had suffered semi-final exits in previous editions and competing in their maiden final, responded with aplomb after being run ragged in the first half. Riding on an impeccable 120-run partnership between 18-year-old Hayley Matthews and captain Stafanie Taylor — the Caribbean women were in touching distance of ending Australia’s vaunted streak, needing just two runs off the final four deliveries. As Britney Cooper steered Megan Schutt towards midwicket and scampered for a single that never looked on, Australia bottled their chance, not only missing a run out at the bowler’s end but also giving away the overthrow that ultimately sealed the result in favour of the challengers. In what was to be a day of resurgence for West Indian cricket in Calcutta, the men’s national team also roared to a win later on in the evening, joining the Calypso Queens, who had finally brought an end to Australia’s run of invincibility.

Part three of Australia versus England for the Women’s T20 World Cup — hosted by the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, West Indies — turned out to be the most one-sided of the lot. Featuring in their fifth straight final in 2018, Australia were hell-bent on returning to the pinnacle of the game, with familiar foes England blocking their road to redemption. In a repeat of their contest from Dhaka, England batted first and crawled to 105 runs, which was never going to be enough to keep the rejuvenated Aussies at bay. Alyssa Healy gave Australia a quick-fire start with the bat, which was consolidated upon by Ashleigh Gardner — who had picked three wickets with the ball — and the veteran Meg Lanning. Reassured batting more than compensated for earlier instances of sloppy fielding, during which Australia let slip five catches; but a dispirited England were never in a position to capitalise. With their fourth championship wrapped up, Australia reclaimed their position at the acme of the women’s T20 game, a place they have virtually monopolised in the decade-long history of this wonderful tournament.