Spinner King stars as Australia thump South Africa at Women’s World Cup

Defending champions Australia cruised to a seven-wicket win over South Africa in Indore on Saturday, as leg-spinner Alana King recorded the best figures ever in a Women’s World Cup match.

King’s 7-18 turned the game on its head as South Africa were bundled out for a paltry 97 in 24 overs, before the seven-time champions stamped their authority by knocking off the target in just 16.5 overs.

Introduced in the 12th over, King made an instant impact, striking with her second delivery and never looking back. It was her looping leg-breaks more than the googlies that did the trick as she extracted wicked turn, drift and dip, keeping the stumps in play and the batters guessing.

“We expected the pitch to offer a bit of turn, so I just tried to make the most of it,” King said.

“Some deliveries gripped more than others, but it felt great to hit my straps today. I’m thrilled heading into the knockouts.”

King’s spell was pure theatre as she didn’t concede a single run in her first 15 balls and by then had sent back four South Africans. The Proteas looked like rabbits caught in headlights as she ran through the line up in a relentless seven-over spell.

Her career-best figures were also the best by an Australian in women’s ODIs and the first seven-wicket haul in Women’s World Cup history, eclipsing Jackie Lord’s 6-10 for New Zealand against India in 1982.

South Africa had made a flying start with Laura Wolvaardt cracking four boundaries in one over and racing to 31 off 26 balls. But when King herself took a stunning catch diving forward at short mid-wicket to dismiss the South African skipper, it opened the floodgates and the rest fell like ninepins.

Australia wrapped up the league stage unbeaten, securing top spot to set up a semi-final clash with hosts India in Navi Mumbai, while South Africa will face England in Guwahati.

“It was a decent wicket to bat on and credit to King, she bowled beautifully,” admitted Wolvaardt. “We just need to dust ourselves off and focus on what lies ahead.”

Meanwhile, Indian police have arrested a man accused of stalking and inappropriately touching two Australian cricketers participating in the ICC Women’s World Cup, officials said on Saturday.

The incident happened in the central Indian city of Indore on Thursday morning when the two players left their hotel to go to a cafe, police officer Rajesh Dandotiya told AFP.

“We received a complaint from the Australian team security and immediately acted, registered a case and identified the accused within six hours,” Dandotiya said.

Agencis