Dragging oneself from the televised delights of Sophia Gardens has been somewhat of a wrench. The Hundred is a strange concoction to say the least of it. Five-ball overs? The option to take a ten-ball over if you feel like it? Outré prefabricated franchises? Yet it is still recognisably cricket, and the best female players in the world are all here. And there is nothing artificial about Tân Cymreig, or the Welsh Fire as some would have it. Hir Oes i Forgannwg! Even though they are captained by Georgia Wareham, better-known as an Antipodean leg-spinner, and feature the blazing bat of Georgia Voll at the top of the order. But the main attraction of the Hundred is listening to the glorious Swansea vowels of Robert Croft, like unto stewed peaches soaked in apricot brandy. I could listen to him all night.

But back to Darwin, which is marginally cooler than Cardiff. The humidity is something else, sometimes compared with scuba-diving in an ashtray. To our shame, we have not played a Test match against Bangla Desh for nine years. Longer since we hosted them. For Australia, Dad’s Army will front up once more. The bowlers have been extensively rested from the white-ball circus of late, and rightly so. Never have we fielded an attack so blessed in years. Would you bet against them nonetheless? Not I.

Despite the viridian surface – the pitch resembled a yellow carpet with patches of green chicken-pox – Cummins elected to bat. Best to get the rusty truck out of the garage and out on the road again? It did make sense, of a sort. That Australia went to lunch at 4/74 was not solely due to faulty strokeplay. Both openers perished to diagonal bat shots. Labuschagne appeared to be stuck in a Groundhog Day of his own manufacture: strokeless, parked on the crease, and eventually edging to slip for one from 20 deliveries. Green at least was looking for runs, although his lofted drive at Taskin to a sharp catch at mid-wicket was injudicious. A run a ball 13 was not what you want from your number five, but he did pounce on two half-volleys and a bouncer and punished them all. And Smith? He was dropped by Tamim in the slips, and survived a review for a catch behind which missed his bat by the breadth of a water molecule. At least he is still there, fidgeting in his inimitable fashion and planning mischief.

The real story of the morning was Taskin, Hasan and Ebadot, who sent down all 22 overs between them. (The over-rate was diabolical, although with four wickets falling there are slim vestiges of an excuse.) All three are medium-fast at best these days. But they pitched the ball on a length, seamed it around and allowed few liberties. Australia had no answers. The injury to Nahid Rana meant that Australia would not have to face his terrifying pace. As it was the visiting seamers gave a textbook class in taking advantage of helpful conditions. Our top-order conundrums remain as unsolved as ever. Matt Renshaw might well be looking on with cautious optimism.

After lunch Carey and Smith steadied proceedings with a fine partnership of 55. First ball after drinks Ebadot got one to seam back in to Carey, who edged it onto his stumps. Thereafter matters deteriorated. Webster did little wrong save playing down the wrong line, bat and pad together, and lost his off bail to the energetic Taskin. Cummins and Starc wafted optimistically outside off and were taken behind. And slowly the innings subsided: all out for 198. And there was Smith. What would Australia have done without him? To be ninth out, nicking behind to Das, for 71 is both a brave, disciplined innings from a veteran warrior, and a standing reproach to his fellows. He was up to all his usual tricks: wandering across the crease, wandering down the pitch, fidgeting all the while, but calculating where best to look for runs. It was his 82nd score of fifty and above. Which speaks all that is necessary of Boycott’s so-called ‘good club cricketer’. And Hasan’s six wicket haul was no more than his due, either.

The visitors finished the day on 1/96: the sole success being Starc’s. It wasn’t that Australia bowled especially badly. But the match-hardened visitors seized upon anything loose and banished it. The home side has much to do, and little margin for error on the morrow. Oh, and the Welsh Fire were victorious, thanks to disciplined bowling and a bright half-century from Wareham. Perhaps she might give tips to Australia’s men.

It is a curious artefact in the Holy of Holies, ranking somewhere between Tendulkar’s batting gloves and  Warne’s hair transplant. Yet it is a thing. To have one’s name inscribed thereon requires either five wickets or a century. The great man himself never achieved it, managing four scalps per innings many a time, but never the mystic Five-for. Some new names will be added, and not a moment too soon. But one is getting ahead of oneself. England’s innings resumed a couple of days since hoping for a substantial lead. Thanks to Kranti Gaud they never even looked like it. Gaud is a brisk seamer somewhat in the Glenn McGrath mode: not quick, but deadly accurate, delivering the ball between five and seven metres on and outside off-stump. She allowed natural variation and the Lords slope to work their magic, and bagged a well-earned 5/37 on a pitch that wasn’t doing an awful lot. Although her dismissal of Alice Capsey was more a Pat Cummins special, slanting in towards middle and leg and hitting the top of off.

Three of the top four were out leg before. None were especially blameworthy either. Gaud and Satghare simply outbowled the English women. The offspinner Sneh Rana chimed in with two more and England were dismissed for 170. Sciver-Brunt made a careful 44, and Amy Jones a sprightly 52, but no-one else really troubled the scorers. England needed quick wickets to have any hope in the match, but were instead ground down by Smriti Mandhana, who added 70 to her first-innings 83. She won’t appear on the Board of Boards, but perchance her time may yet come. She is a renowned smiter in white-ball cricket, but  restrained herself admirably. Yastika Bhatia carried the spoils with a marvellous century at number three. She hit fourteen boundaries in her knock and snuffed out England’s hopes. When the score reached 1/161 the lead was near 300. And still the English bowlers toiled away. Because this is Test cricket, after all.

That India did not make an absurd total was due to Sophie Ecclestone, who is well-used to long spells and got better as the day progressed. She is not a big spinner of the ball, but she is patience’s own child and wove her spells on the Indian middle order. 5/118 sounds like a long day’s work, and it was. But aside from Bell, who took the other two wickets and bowled with vim and precision, her compatriots could do nothing. Deepti Sharma made a joyous fifty as India did as they pleased and England had no answers. Finally Harmanpreet called a halt at 7/341, setting England a day and a bit to make 457. Which wasn’t going to happen. Day three ended with the last rites imminent. Gaud and Satghare destroyed the top order, and when Rana removed the English captain the last flicker of hope was expunged.

Day Four was all for honour. Villiers and Jones held the fort for a while. Jones made another fifty before being taken by Verma, and Villiers was unfortunate enough to club the ball at hurricane speed straight into the hands of Ghosh at silly mid-off. In 0.14 of a second Ghosh’s hands clutched at the ball in sheer self-preservation and held it. The tail did not abandon ship. They had to be prised out, and they were, after some stout defence. Ecclestone alone attempted some counter-strikes, and hit her way to a half-century before falling at last to a brute of an off-break from Rana, who took the bowling honours with 4/42. Kranti Gaud was named Player of the Match, and with seven wickets on a docile pitch she well and truly earned it. Sachin Tendulkar himself appeared in the stands, to the acclamation of the substantial crowd.

And the Honours Board? Gaud, Ecclestone and Bhatia’s names will be duly inscribed there. And not before time, either.

The curtain-raiser to this historic occasion occurred at the County Ground in Bristol, where England’s whitewash of India in T20 continued. One exception to the general want of patience and technique was supplied by the captain Shreyas Iyer, whose unbeaten 80 from 49 was all anyone could have asked for. The other batsmen had another day to forget, succumbing to Archer and Tongue’s menacing lift and bounce. It is a strange pitch hereabouts, resembling a rolled-out sponge cake laid over an aircraft runway. The English seamers made the ball fly and ignored the occasional six. India’s 158/7 was never going to be enough, and the home side strolled home with six overs to spare: Brook’s unbeaten 79 from 35 giving the home crowd plenty to cheer. Phil Salt endured another torrid maiden over from Arshdeep, but thereafter enjoyed himself. India are giving the appearance of being anxious to be on the plane home; but there is plenty of this tour to come, beginning with the final T20 in Southampton.

But the real news of the day was at Lords, where India’s women faced England. This is the first time in the history of this august venue that a Test match for women has been permitted here: a dubious statistic on which the egg-and-bacon crew need not congratulate themselves unduly. Sciver-Brunt won the toss and surprised Harmanpreet by asking her to bat, on a dry wicket in the midst of a heatwave against opposition with three high-quality spinners. At first it went pear-shaped for the home side, despite two early wickets to Bell and Filer. Bowlers who know the infamous Lords slope regard it as an attacking weapon. Those who have never played here before notably struggle. Bell and Filer will not have enjoyed the sight of their pitch maps. By the time Jemmy Rodrigues was out the hundred was already up in the 19th over.

She was dismissed by Issy Wong, who returned to the Test team today, in the unglamorous role of third seamer. She struggled with line and length. She tried to make the ball swing and it wouldn’t. Yet she persisted. And that was the story of England’s day. Smriti Mandhana looked set to make 200, having cashed in against some wayward bowling; but Wong picked her up too, caught by Jones standing up to the stumps. Multi-ethnic Birmingham’s poster woman then took a superb outfield catch to get rid of the dangerous Ghosh. Star all-rounder Deepti Sharma made a hard-hitting fifty, but perished to Ecclestone, who swept away the tail in short order.

The best delivery of the day came from Durham’s debutant off-spinner Maddy Villiers, who took some heavy treatment, but bravely continued to flight the ball outside off-stump, and was rewarded with a Nathan Lyon special to Harmanpreet. It looped up outside off, drifting away through the air, and darted between bat and pad like a kingfisher snaffling an early breakfast. As the stumps tilted back the Indian captain stared in disbelief, as well she might. Villiers trapped Rana in front, and returned to the pavilion with a hard-earned 2/79. England lost Beaumont early to Gaud, who attacked the stumps far more than her opponents had done. The home team will resume on 1/21, and will need to bat all day, at the very least.

It was only inevitable in retrospect that the final would be England vs Australia. The only two unbeaten teams. The only teams with eleven potential matchwinners. But a curious leitmotiv has become evident. Despite encouraging performances from emerging young cricketers, the actual matchwinners have been the veterans. Faced with the threat of losing their positions to the young and hungry, many of the tried and true have been inspired to hitherto unscaled heights. In no match was this more evident than in Thursday’s semi-final. South Africa’s bowling power play was entrusted to Marizanne Kapp (aged 36) and Shabnim Ismail (37) alone. Three overs each. And England’s top three had already been sent back. (Ismail has lost a little pace these days, but not a lot. And she is the fastest female bowler in history, having once exceeded 130 ks in the IPL.)

Thereafter? Why, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight restored order with patience, and a final flourish. England’s eventual total of 169/5 was too much for the South Africans. England’s spin trio of Smith, Dean and Ecclestone combined for 4/77 from their 12 overs. Only Tazmin Brits with a gallant 51 managed any sort of innings; and the one batsman who might have threatened England with a furious counter-attack was left with too much to do. Nadine de Klerk finished unbeaten and thoroughly frustrated on 14, and the Proteas fell 40 runs short.

Australia won the toss and elected to chase on a pitch which looks slow and low. Wyatt-Hodge and Jones began nervously against Garth. Hamilton’s left-arm pace induced an edge from Jones and was taken low down in the gully by Voll. England’s plan was to play with circumspection and cash in on the chaff. They had to wait until the fifth over for some of that. Sutherland sprayed the ball in all directions. But she has the knack of picking up wickets. When Wyatt-Hodge fanned at a leg-side wide Australia reviewed after Mooney’s acrobatic catch, and the evidence was in her favour. A faint glove it was indeed, and the veteran champion was sent on her way.

At the first refreshment break England was 2/39. It could have been three down had Gardner’s throw to Hamilton been more accurate. Alice Capsey was fortunate to survive her excessive exuberance in calling such a doubtful run. It took until the ninth over for the fireworks to begin, when Gardner was gored and savaged by Capsey. Her adventurism was ended by Molineux. Perhaps a reverse sweep against left-arm orthodox gazunders was a poor choice, and her off-stump was duly inclined. But the plan was sound enough. Let Capsey take the risks, and allow Sciver-Brunt to cruise until the time comes for a thundering exclamation mark towards the end.

By the 14-over break matters had reached a crisis for the home side at 4/93. Sciver-Brunt could no longer afford to trundle along as she had been. A run-a-ball 35 was a solid platform, but more would be needed. Par looked to be around 160, and that was currently many leagues distant. At the other end however was the tall, angular all-rounder Freya Kemp, and she it was who saluted. From an unbeaten fifth-wicket partnership of 80 from 55 Kemp smote her way to 44 from 28. And this against formidable opponents who gave little away, and who fielded like demons. With one exception, however: three times run-outs were missed which would ordinarily have been taken.

For Australia, the bowling stars were the openers Garth and Hamilton, whose seven overs combined for 2/39. Gardner was expensive, and Wareham must have wondered why she was only granted two overs of leg-spin, which yielded a mere nine runs. Nevertheless Australia must have been quietly confident. But this would be nothing like a cakewalk. The pitch is slow and low, and England will have learned useful lessons on where and how to bowl.

England sprang a surprise by opening with Dean’s off-spin. Voll clubbed the first ball straight for four, and was adjudged lbw to the second. It looked to be a poor decision, and on review it was indeed, having pitched outside leg. Lauren’s Bell’s first over was filled with incident, containing a no-ball, four byes, a wide, a pulled boundary, and Voll playing on to her stumps. The over concluded with Litchfield hitting her first delivery to the fence. Honours roughly even? Arguably, with a wicket and fifteen runs. With Australia’s prodigiously long batting lineup the plan was evident. Get the required rate down to a run a ball as soon as possible, and coast to victory.

After six overs Australia was 1/62. Only 89 required from 14 overs, and with Mooney and Litchfield in full cry England looked lost. But there was still four overs of Ecclestone to come. And perchance Kemp, fresh from her brilliant innings, might find something with her brisk mediums. As it happened, no, not really. Did I mention coasting? It appears that the word is not in these women’s lexicon. What Litchfield and Mooney unleashed upon the hapless English was more like a brutal massacre. When Linsey Smith went around the wicket Litchfield uncorked her favourite reverse sweep and clobbered the ball for six. Smith’s rueful smile spoke volumes. There were a few moments of unintended comedy when she tried to repeat the stroke against Ecclestone, who does not permit such extravagances. Litchfield whacked her pad with her bat in annoyance at having missed out, but it did not signify.

By the time Litchfield finally overreached and lost her stumps to Dean the game was done and dusted. Her 48 from 35 had been decisive. A good five minutes were wasted in determining whether or not Perry had been dismissed for a diamond duck. She hadn’t, since it was clear that Kemp had not touched the ball in her follow-through. But justice must be seen to be done and so forth. Although it did not seem to be a little later on. The English spin trio prolonged the contest with some tight overs. Then Perry spooned the ball low to Ecclestone, who apparently took the catch just above the turf. The third umpire disagreed. Unable to believe her eyes, the pony-tailed spinner advanced upon the umpires with smoke pouring out of her ears like the Flying Scotsman pulling in to Kings Cross station.

Fortunately for all concerned Charlie Dean – England’s deputy skipper – interposed her body and prevented a perilous incident. The match was over anyway, and this curious decision changed nothing. The contest ended in farce with five wides from the still incandescent Ecclestone. The truth was that England played according to the manual of past decades. If you bat first against Australia – whatever the pitch and conditions – you need a minimum of 170 to give yourself a chance. The two power plays told the story. England 2/39, Australia 1/62. Australia used their feet: either down the pitch or across the crease. England were mostly anchored as though chained to the turf. The visitors were simply too good, right throughout the tourney. Only India had made them improvise. This is Australia’s seventh T20 World Cup. None would deny that they were the champion team. Alana King – the premier bowler in World cricket – could not even make the eleven. Neither could Tahlia McGrath. One can scarcely recall Nicola Carey either batting or bowling. But there: as the poet Milton would have it, some also serve who only stand and wait.

The crowd? Lords was packed with almost 30,000 fans. They would for the most part have departed unsatisfied, but that’s sport for you. The final word belongs to Beth Mooney.  She had kept wickets superbly despite her injuries, standing up to the stumps and denying their enemy the chance to leave the crease. And she opened the batting and made 64 from 49 with ten boundaries. She assessed the English bowling and outwitted them repeatedly. She was adjudged leg before to Ecclestone at the end of the 16th, but by then the game was over. She is still only 32. Australia may give thanks that she is married to a physiotherapist, who doubtless helps keep her on the park. She still has much to give our Invincibles. Hurrah!

That Australia went south of the Thames as red-hot favourites meant precisely nothing. The slate is wiped clean, and the race begins anew. There was consternation in the Caribbean camp as Deandra Dottin was seen being carried off by her team-mates in obvious distress just before the commencement. Lucy Hamilton meanwhile faced the menace of Matthews. Everyone knows what carnage might strike from her bat. She whacked the first ball to the off-boundary. Thereafter she rode her luck: several lofted strokes just avoiding the clutching hands of the fielders. Qiana Joseph meanwhile was in the horrors. She is in the team for her power hitting, but it looked as though some malevolent genie had transformed her bat into a stick of celery. After the power-play she was on 6 from 16, and nothing was going right for her.

Matthews’ good fortune ran dry on Wareham’s first delivery, which snaked past her wandering feet and took the middle stump. Leg-spinners don’t have to bowl Warneish freaks of nature. Just a little drift in and straighten is enough for most purposes. Joseph meanwhile finally connected with a straight drive for six, but this was the most mendacious of false dawns. She slog-swept Molineux to Gardner at cow corner and was safely taken. Worse followed when Gardner cleaned up Taylor and Claxton. At 4/59 after 11 the innings was coming apart at the seams. Worse was to follow when Henry perished to Molineux, and Shemaine Campbelle holed out to Perry from Wareham.

At this point West Indies were 6/83 halfway through the 16th over, and facing an embarrassing disaster. Lo and behold! the new batsman was the patched-up Dottin. We still do not know what happened to her just prior to the start of play. She looked to be limping, but eager for the fray. She and Jannillea Glasgow then put on 42: the latter perishing to Sutherland from the final delivery. Dottin’s unbeaten 26 from 16 was but an echo of her past glories; but it was a brave intervention from a much-decorated cricketer. 7/125 was no sort of score on this friendly wicket. But it could have been so much worse. Australia might have missed a trick through not including King to make up a spin quartet. Gardner (2/13), Wareham (2/17) and Molineux (2/30) combined for 6/60 from their eleven overs. The only wicket to fall to seam was the final one. The women in maroon are proverbially more comfortable facing seam than spin.

Beth Mooney, we are informed, has a pair of broken fingers. She allowed Voll to take the gloves just once before returning to the side. Surprisingly, she opened the innings. After six overs she had stroked her way to 41, losing Voll and Litchfield on the way. There was no brutality here. It was more a case of surgical strikes. She watches the field rearrange itself and pierces the gaps as if spot-welding her way to a new apartment block. There was a flutter in the rooms as Perry sent herself off with an unexplained niggle. Safety first, we assume. We need not have troubled ourselves, as Mooney and Gardner picked off the runs with seven overs to spare. It was a crushing win by a side apparently in cruise control. And Lords awaits on Sunday.

Australia vs India had not on the face of it much depending on it save as a preliminary skirmish before the finals. For the women in green, at any rate. Australia could not realistically be toppled from top spot even with a calamitous defeat. India by contrast must win. This for them is a quarter-final since South Africa’s defeat of Bangla Desh. In the other group New Zealand were gifted a last-minute reprieve and had the chance to seize a semi-final spot. This would have meant defeating England, which they could not do; despite playing arguably their best game of the tournament. Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine and Brooke Halliday propelled them to a respectable 163. Alas, England brushed aside their bowlers and strolled to a nine-wicket victory with 16 deliveries in hand.

This opportunity had only turned up after the Irish women stunned the West Indies at Bristol. The Irish had frequently threatened during the tourney – notably against New Zealand – but had been unable to finish the job. Possibly inspired by the victory of their men’s team over the all-powerful visiting Indians, Ireland seized the initiative and refused to let it drop. The Maguire sisters, Prendergast and Kelly pinned their opponents down and refused to allow them any liberties, while Cara Murray’s leg-breaks bamboozled the hapless. Even the mighty Hayley Matthews could do nothing against her, and holed out to Stokell. Murray’s four overs of bewitching flight, turn and deadly accuracy yielded her 2/13.

Chasing a mere 129 to win, Ireland lost their captain early to the teasing spin of Munisar. But Prendergast and Hunter had not the slightest intention of letting slip the prize. Even a late flurry of wickets did not divert them from their objective, achieved by six wickets with a couple of overs in hand. The garlands belonged to many, although Orla Prendergast’s contribution (1/29 from her four overs, and a masterful 63 from 44) was pre-eminent. The Caribbean women were caught napping, and paid the price for their inattention. Bha bhua iontach é sin! As it transpired West Indies were reprieved, and will play Australia in the semi-final.

India won the toss and immediately decided to bat. Soon it became apparent that that there would be neither swing, seam movement, nor spin for the fielding side. Mandhana and Shafali were untroubled raising a stand of 66 until the latter attempted an inside-out cover-drive from Molineux and lost her stumps. Then Rodrigues was caught ball-watching while Mandhana completed two-thirds of a run towards her. The journey back was doomed, thanks to a swift and accurate throw from Hamilton. Thereafter the innings meandered. After 18 overs the home side ( so-called, given that the vast crowd was overwhelmingly pro-India) had reached 2/134, and Australia would have been well-satisfied with their work thus far.

Out of nowhere the fielding fell apart. That three catches went down in a few minutes was bad enough. That they all went for six from the blazing bat of Harmanpreet was considerably worse. Only when the Indian captain holed out to Perry at deepish mid-off did the insanity cease. Perry would no sooner drop that than her trousers. But 36 from the last two overs was a wholly avoidable disaster. Would 170 be enough? It looked if anything slightly over par; since the wicket, though docile enough, looks a little tired.

Voll hit the first ball from Renuka for four, and was trapped in front by the second. Litchfield meanwhile experienced a curious stop-motion innings, hitting two fours and a six, but finding herself frequently becalmed. She looked out of sorts, and it was no surprise when she holed out to Mandhana from the ever-impressive Sree Charani. When Mooney found Yadav from Deepti Australia found themselves in a sizeable chasm at 3/68 in the tenth over.

Australian hearts  must have sunk; but they need not have worried. A masterclass of strokeplay from Perry and Gardner saw Australia home with an over to spare. A stand of 100 from 57 speaks volumes by itself; but what the figures do not show is the command of the situation exerted by these two. No, get your eye in first. Required rate up to eleven? No problem. We will choose whom to target and club them insensible. Perry’s weary lofted drive at the death – safely taken by Shafali at long-off – happened far too late to affect proceedings. It was a vital experience for the Australians. They had cantered through the previous games unchallenged and untroubled. But it is another matter entirely to dig yourself a substantial hole and then climb out of it.  They will play West Indies, while England will play the suddenly-reprieved South Africans.

Headingley – so long the setting for dour contests beneath lowering skies  – is sharing in England’s summer heatwave. Long queues at ice-cream vans, bare legs and crop-tops, umbrellas in bright colours, and wide grins in the stands tell their own tale. This was Australia’s final hit-out before the serious business begins, and they made it count. The match began with a first-ball duck for Mooney, who edged Sadia Iqbal to slip. Gull Feroza dived to her right and pulled off a miraculous catch as if producing a startled rabbit from a green-and-white cap. Would Australia reset and consolidate? To ask the question is to answer it. Perry and Voll uncorked a glorious vintage of strokes in a century stand from 58 balls. Voll was all brute power. But Perry’s delectable strokeplay was a joy to behold. At one point she was beaten in flight. She opened the face of her bat somewhat and guided the ball to the offside boundary. Really, what can a bowler do under these circumstances? And Diana Baig’s return to the side was an unhappy one. She has lost her swing and control; and was badly mauled, especially by Perry.

It is greatly to Pakistan’s credit that they persisted. What might have been well in excess of 200 became 7/199. And Australia only got that far thanks to an imaginative cameo from Carey, who backed away to leg and smote the ball to the off boundary. An unbeaten 26 from 13 was her hat in the ring to keep her place in this team. It seemed unlikely that Pakistan could chase 200, and … they didn’t. A sympathetic chronicler would prefer to pass lightly over the viridian-clad women’s innings. Muneeba had experienced a dreadful time with the keeping gloves, but opened the batting and managed 32 from 25 before falling victim to Perry, who once again took two wickets in her opening over. Perry’s bowling duties have been largely curtailed in recent years; but the new administration deems that she will be called upon when needed. Eight bowlers were used, and shared the wickets democratically. Australia has qualified, almost certainly top of the table (unbeaten; net run rate a staggering 4.7). India, South Africa and Bangla Desh still contend for the other position.

In the other matches last night New Zealand kept the faint flicker of hope alive with a tight win over Scotland. They are out of form, but managed the run chase professionally enough after losing three early wickets to the exuberant Scots. The batting star of the tournament thus far has been Darcey Carter, whose marvellous unbeaten 72 sustained the Caledonian innings single-handed. And Sri Lanka likewise kept their campaign alive with a crushing win over Ireland, who are visibly wilting in the heat. A scorching century from Chamari Athapaththu was an ominous warning from a sleeping giant of the game. But unless England or West Indies experience a calamitous collapse they are both through to the semi-finals. And Australia’s contest with India awaits on Sunday.

Australia found themselves unexpectedly inserted, having lost the toss on a pitch which is generally full of runs and offers little to the bowling side. They did as they pleased for most of their innings, despite losing Voll and Perry early to Zwilling and Heather Siegers. The Dutch specialise in leg-spin, fielding three of them. All very different. Heather is a more orthodox leggie for the most part. Her sister Silver has the most extraordinary action yet seen in world cricket. Some leggies bowl a bit round-arm. It’s the best way to obtain spin from the leg, after all. Silver twists her body the other way in a manic contortion, delivering from around mid-off. It is as if she is auditioning for Cirque du Soleil on the high rings. Caroline de Lange however bowls in a manner last seen in the days of Paul Adams: curling in on herself while staring at the popping crease at her feet; and somehow delivering the ball to the other end, possibly using braille. It works, too. She took two wickets in each of the first two matches and dismissed Gardner and Carey today.

For the women in green Beth Mooney smacked her way to a brisk 74 before retiring with back spasms. Gardner made a belligerent 58 in her usual style, alternating between thunderous drives over the bowler’s head, and savage pulls and cuts. The cherry on top was delivered by Wareham, whose 41 took just 18 balls. 6/219 more or less put the contest to bed. And when Kim Garth’s speed and outswing removed the two openers a dire calamity loomed as an unpleasing possibility. But Babette de Leede and Sterre Kalis had other ideas. Without attempting batting suicide they cantered along at a run a ball, defying all eight bowlers in the process. A 98 run victory was not unexpected, but the Orange Army in the stands had plenty to cheer about. This is their first taste of T20 World Cups and they are here to make an impression.

I may have mentioned that New Zealand are probably already out of the running. Last night they all but succumbed to a spirited Irish team led by their star all-rounder Orla Prendergast (4 overs, 2/26); another subtle spell from their teenage left-arm spinner Aimee Maguire; and a brilliant spell from Cara Murray, whose analysis of 2/26 from four did not flatter her. Only a last-minute scramble late in the innings from Halliday and Sharp produced a passable tally of 140, and for much of the Irish innings the target looked gettable. Prendergast and Murray both made excellent fifties. The all-round excellence of Amelia Kerr ultimately proved the difference. She made 30 and took two cheap wickets: her final over proving decisive.

The following contest between Pakistan vs Bangla Desh was a rum business. For much of their innings the Bengalis remained becalmed, unable to get beyond second gear. Fatima Sana took two wickets in her first over and kept the Bangla side in a straitjacket. With six overs to go the story was a dismal 4/72, with Ritu Moni on seven from 15, unable to urge the ball off the square or indeed anywhere productive. Then her wicket fell, and teenage sensation Shorna Akter strode to the middle, utterly unfazed by the dire situation. Why she does not bat at four or five is an insoluble conundrum. Shorna smote the ball all over Southampton and raced to an unbeaten 39 from 22. Suddenly it looked a different game. Halfway through the eighth over Pakistan’s openers had reached 49 and looked to be cruising. But the Bengali left-arm orthodox spinners Nahida and Meghra brought the innings to a standstill. Wickets crashed, and no-one was able to replicate Shorna’s lower-order belligerence. It was an astonishing comeback, and a thrilling victory.

In the evening at Headingley England beat Scotland as expected. But they did not have things all their own way. Halfway through the 17th over the home side had subsided to 5/139, thanks to enegetic bowling and fielding. But 61 came from the final 21 balls as Gibson and Kemp swung their bats with might and main. 200 always looked out of reach, but the Scots fought to the very end. The final margin of 38 runs was a credit to the intrepid visitors. Without veteran Sophie Ecclestone (2/23 from her four) there would have been a deal more trepidation for the English.

Australia’s next match is on Wednesday against the winless Pakistanis. The big showdown against India has been saved until last. For Australia, the tourney then begins in earnest.

Or so it seemed. And yet. Bangla Desh arrived having seen off the Netherlands in their opening round. And the balance of power in women’s cricket is tilting sharply. The defending champions New Zealand (yes really!) are all but out of the tournament, having been ambushed first by the resurgent West Indies, and then by Sri Lanka, led by Nilakshika Silva’s blazing half-century. The Kiwis have not improved, while others have. Even England – fresh from their demolition of Sri Lanka – were made to work hard by the Irish, who defended a very modest total with such vigour that they came moderately close to embarrassment, thanks to superb spells from Orla Prendergast and Aimee Maguire.

And yet some things remain the same. And Australia looks better than ever. The new administration – coach Shelley Nitschke and captain Sophie Molineux – looks determined to stay ahead of the field. Ash Gardner – after an amnesiac performance in round 1 – was rested. Nicola Carey was included, but did not get a chance to bowl, although seven others did. Molineux won the toss, took one look at the pitch, and elected to bowl. Why would you not? It wasn’t a green mamba. Rather it was the sort of wicket under lowering skies where Brian Close would approach his captain Ronnie Burnet and beg to be allowed the new ball and the chance to roll the opposition for a hundred-odd. (He did. Several times.)

Not much need be told of the Bangla innings, which rarely progressed out of first gear. Kim Garth took the advantage of the downhill slope to overwhelm the openers with pace and late movement. In a surprise move Ellyse Perry was offered the ball, and took two wickets in her first over. And all through this Nigar Sultana Joty watched in dismay. The uncharitable might point out that she chewed up 47 deliveries for her painstaking 27. Had she thrown her hand away early her team might have been bowled out for 50-odd. But. She has carried her team’s batting for a decade. And it is not as if anyone else was doing any better. Ritu Moni managed 16 from 26. No blame attaches to her either. Not when you come in at 5/27.

What went wrong for them? They need to learn how to hit with power down the ground, between mid-off and mid-on. Aside from that they did their best. Was Australia really that good? Yes they were. The final total read 8/77. You might expect Australia to knock off the runs in ten overs and they did. A brilliant catch by Ritu Moni despatched Mooney; but Georgia Voll, having missed out against the Proteas, filled her boots with a brisk, unbeaten 45. Perry hit the winning runs on her way to 19. Australia means business this time round. They have won this trophy six times already, but their thirst for glory remains undiminished.

In the following match India pillaged the Dutch attack and scored as they pleased, making their way to 5/209. In reply the Netherlands were bowled out for 114. Another mismatch, yes. But the Dutch women played with vim and vigour, seemingly undaunted by their mighty opponents. It wasn’t as one-sided as it eventually appeared. But the game of the day took place in the Birmingham twilight. Pakistan faced the South Africans, and looked completely overawed. They lost five wickets in the power play. In the 11th over they had collapsed to 8/50. The innings contained four run-outs, which bears witness to the complete demoralisation of a side playing well out of its league.

Those expecting a melancholy early finish to proceedings reckoned without Fatima Sana. Small of stature, but mighty of heart is the Pakistan captain. Why she sent herself in at number eight is indeed a mystery. No, there will be no early finish, she vowed. With some unlikely help from Tuba Hassan she managed a record stand of 71 for the ninth wicket. A target of 127 looked inadequate, especially when Annerie Dercksen smashed her way to a quick fifty. But wickets kept falling. The Pakistan spinners persisted. And just when it seemed de Klerk had put the game to bed, Fatima struck again. She had bowled Fatima Luus early on with her brisk medium-fast swing bowling, and she returned to wreak more havoc, firing out de Klerk and Jafta. The match ended in anticlimax when Fatima bowled a wide. But with an unbeaten 55, and three cheap wickets, the honours were all with the dauntless Pakistan skipper. Had her side fielded better they may well have won. But no-one could have done more.

One is not concerned with the soccer-related shenanigans occurring in Canada, Mexico and the Hermit Kingdom. Rather it is T20 World Cup time again. Australia kicks off against South Africa at Old Trafford in the group of, if not death, then perhaps imminent peril. Group 1 also contains India, and at most two of these teams can progress to the finals. Two matches have already been decided in the other group, where the home side blasted Sri Lanka off the park at Edgbaston; and Scotland easily accounted for Ireland in the curtain-raiser here. Sure as Rain at Old Trafford has been an aphorism since the days of John Wisden; but brief glimpses of azure sky and cotton-wool cumulus clouds bespoke a pleasing clemency from on high.

Newly annointed skipper Sophie Molineux won the toss and decided to bat, deducing that the pitch – which resembled a strip of sandpaper laid over a concrete block – would play lower and slower later in the day. Georgia Voll’s inauspicious Cup debut ended with a miscued pull shot for a duck; and Beth Mooney was not herself, defending grimly before chasing a wide one. Wolvaardt elected to bowl her two veteran quicks for the entire power play. Kapp and Ismail bowled with fire and venom, and batting looked difficult against the new ball.

But not for Phoebe Litchfield. Utterly untroubled by the chaos around her, she drove, swept, cut and pillaged her way to fifty. From 23 deliveries, if you please. But she miscued Khaka to Wolvaardt and marched off in fast-medium dudgeon. Of course Wolvaardt caught it. Would she drop anything at all, up to and including her car keys? You might as well expect the entrance of a unicorn in a gingham dress from the pavilion. She took three catches: two of them blinders. Gardner came and went, to a spooned catch from Mlaba, who was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 2/22 from her four overs, including two at the death. She varied her flight and pace skilfully: sometimes firing in with the spear-gun, and otherwise offering up deliciously-tempting poisoned floaters.

With four down you might expect Australia to consolidate, but the appearance of Wareham at six put paid to that idea. And Perry, who had experienced little of the bowling, decreed that full steam ahead was the best and only possible strategy. They put on 58 off 38 before Wareham fell to Wolvaardt’s final catch. Wickets kept falling, which bothered Australia not a bit. All of these women can bat. There is less tail to this batting order than in a squadron of Manx cats. The innings finished at 8/172, which will be a challenging target. But there is always Wolvaardt. And Kapp. And de Klerk.

Molineux opened the bowling herself with her left-arm spin, and trapped Luus in front. Next over Kim Garth beat Dercksen for pace and took her off-stump via the pads. Surprisingly de Klerk was promoted to four and at once set to work. When King came in with her leg-breaks de Klerk should have been caught on the boundary at bovine corner. Inexplicably, Gardner fumbled it over the boundary for six. By the end of the power play South Africa had reached 43, with de Klerk on a belligerent 22.

The appearance of Wareham in the seventh over made a momentous change as the tall leggie pegged back de Klerk’s off stump. Then Marizanne Kapp was caught loafing on a second run by Wareham’s rocket arm and sent on her way. Meanwhile Wolvaardt was looking anything but content with her lot. Trying to force the pace when your bat feels as though it is made from rubber is always frustrating. She managed a superb inside-out extra cover six from Molineux, but perished to Wareham’s acrobatic catch next ball. Thereafter the Australian spin quartet overwhelmed the rest. Wareham was adjudged Player of the Match for her all-round efforts. A sprightly 22-ball 32, 3/13, a catch and a run-out: really, what more could anyone ask of her? The truth was that Australia had far more contributors than the Proteas, who rely far too much on their gallant captain.