Australia v England: Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 final – live!

50th over: Australia 356-5 (Tahlia McGrath 8, Ellyse Perry 17)

Shrubsole bowls the last over and McGrath chips it over the infield for a single to start. Perry shows no sign of injury as she pushes through for two from the second ball and then cuts one that almost finds the boundary. Next ball she does find the rope and brings up the 350 for Australia, what a batting display it has been today. Just completely clinical in its dominance. Perry is so elegant at the crease and is playing the ‘icing on the cake’ role to perfection here. There’s a run out attempt on the last ball of the over, but Perry is safe and they finish a sensational innings here.

49th over: Australia 341-5 (Tahlia McGrath 7, Ellyse Perry 3)

Ecclestone bowls the penultimate over – her 10th for the day. She took that wicket earlier, but she has been expensive since then and certainly hasn’t looked like the same bowler who took down SA only a few days ago. McGrath finds her first boundary with a cut shot that pierces through the field and runs quickly along the ground.

48th over: Australia 333-5 (Tahlia McGrath 1, Ellyse Perry 1)

The run rate has gone past seven now and Shrubsole has had quite enough of this nonsense and takes two wickets in two balls. McGrath plays the hat trick ball safely for a single and Perry takes strike for the first time. She doesn’t want a run first ball, but McGrath tries to push her for one. Perry sends her back and McGrath is nearly run out, but she gets back in her ground. Perry finishes with a single to get off the mark.

Two wickets in two balls as Shrubsole catches Mooney’s edge and Sciver picks up an easy catch in the outfield.

Lanning knows she has to be selfless and keep pushing hard, so she goes after one from Shrubsole and skies it. Beaumont sits underneath it and her safe hands see Lanning off in her 100th ODI.

47th over: Australia 330-3 (Meg Lanning 10, Beth Mooney 61)

Finally we get Lanning in with just three overs remaining and she gives Mooney the strike straight away. Brunt is bowling her final over for the day and she would dearly love to make it her best one and pick up a wicket or two. The wickets have done the trick in slowing down the run rate a little, but can England slow it enough to give themselves a chance with the bat? Lanning finds her first boundary with a pull shot past fine leg, then finds it again with a cut shot.

46th over: Australia 318-3 (Meg Lanning 0, Beth Mooney 57)

Well it wasn’t that long ago we were talking about England trying to keep Australia under 300, but Healy and Mooney blew that possibility out of the water so quickly it was almost ridiculous. Finally England get Healy, but it doesn’t provide much respite with Gardner coming in with licence to go as hard as she likes. She gets off strike, but then Mooney pushes for two and Gardner is short of her ground.

Mooney pushes Gardner for two and it doesn’t pay off, Cross gets the ball in quickly and Gardner has to go.

Finally this brilliant innings from Healy comes to an end, with the quick hands of Jones finding the stumps as Healy was dancing down the wicket in search of more runs. She has been nothing short of sensational and will be delighted with that performance.

45th over: Australia 315-1 (Alyssa Healy 170, Beth Mooney 57)

Another over from Cross and what a surprise – Healy backs away and drives a ball past deep cover for four. They simply cannot find an answer to stop her doing that. With that trademark shot, she brings up 500 runs for the tournament. She follows it up with a scoop for another four and I can almost see the double century in her eyes. Mooney catches some extra bounce, but swats the ball away behind her. Healy pops one right up in the air, but not even a badly timed shot can stop her today and there are no fielders anywhere near it. Cross then bowls a wide that evades Jones and goes to the boundary, the misery is just piling up for England at the moment. Another wide next ball adds to the frustration and the Australians just take a single from the last ball.

44th over: Australia 297-1 (Alyssa Healy 160, Beth Mooney 55)

Back comes Ecclestone and some sloppy fielding from England gives away overthrows on the first ball on the over. Next ball Healy brings up her 150 driving past deep cover for four, the edges one that also finds a gap and the rope. Because she’s on a bit of a roll she decides she’ll go for another four next ball and then mixes things up with a straight drive for just a single. Mooney gets in on the action with a lovely cut shot for four and the run rate is tiptoeing its way towards seven an over now.

43rd over: Australia 278-1 (Alyssa Healy 145, Beth Mooney 51)

England seem to have no answers for Healy backing away. She’s offering up her stumps, but she loves it when they bowl in that zone and she makes no mistake in getting it into the middle of her bat every time. Healy goes a bit rogue with a scoop that almost finds Beaumont in the field, but sails past her and over the rope for four. It’s all too easy for Healy, she is looking sensational today. Mooney brings up her 50 with a well-timed four on the final ball of the over.

42nd over: Australia 260-1 (Alyssa Healy 132, Beth Mooney 46)

The game’s only wicket taker so far – Ecclestone – comes back into the attack and the run rate is sitting at just a touch below six to start the over. Mooney takes her feet to the ball to send it soaring past that and bringing up the 250 for Australia. It’s been a seriously dominant display of batting. Mooney takes back-to-back fours and she is looking very dangerous today. Australia’s hustle is just so good, the way they push for two has been notable all tournament and it’s no different today when they’re easily on top and don’t necessarily need to go that hard. On the last ball of the over, Australia brings up their hundred partnership and goes past the highest score in a World Cup final with one single.

41st over: Australia 245-1 (Alyssa Healy 131, Beth Mooney 33)

Into the final 10 overs now and the big question is – how many runs will Australia be able to put on here? Or, what can England restrict them to? They’ll be happy to keep it under 300 at this stage. Brunt is bowling this over and her line early is better than it was in her previous over. Healy plays a lovely sweep shot, but Brunt is bowling to her field much better and it doesn’t find the boundary. But it doesn’t take long before Healy makes some room for herself and smacks Brunt for four. Healy is now approaching Meg Lanning’s highest score of the tournament and she is in some kind of form today. Brunt is very unhappy – this has been a long day in the field for England.

40th over: Australia 236-1 (Alyssa Healy 125, Beth Mooney 30)

Cross bowls this one for England and Healy and Mooney just keep pushing on and rotating the strike. They’re looking supremely confident and Healy is offering up her stumps almost every ball. Eventually they find a sliver of an opportunity through a stumping – it’s great keeping from Amy Jones, but Healy has managed to get her foot back in time and they can’t say goodbye to her just yet. It’s a good over from Cross, all things considered.

39th over: Australia 233-1 (Alyssa Healy 123, Beth Mooney 29)

While it’s true things aren’t looking great for England, let’s offer up a bit of optimism for our English friends who may just be waking up. There’s a chance this could just be a very good batting wicket and Australia might have just as many struggles to restrict and take wickets once they come on to bowl. Brunt struggles with her line early in this over and has trouble getting control back. She desperately wants that breakthrough, but the run rate keeps marching forwards and Brunt isn’t having her best day out.

38th over: Australia 221-1 (Alyssa Healy 117, Beth Mooney 24)

Cross thinks Christmas has come early first ball as Healy backs away and shows off all three of her stumps, but the ball flies past them. Next ball Healy scoops one brilliantly past fine leg for four and her footwork is sensational today. Cross isn’t bowling badly, but it will take an excellent ball to stop Healy in this kind of form. We get a stumping appeal against Mooney on the final ball of the over and the umpires take a look at it, but Mooney’s foot remains grounded in the crease and England can’t get that lucky.

37th over: Australia 216-1 (Alyssa Healy 112, Beth Mooney 24)

In all the excitement of the previous over, Australia also brought up their 200, an omnious sign with 14 overs left. This over they bring up their half century partnership in what feels like the blink of an eye. A couple of singles to start this Shrubsole over and then an aggressive pull shot from Mooney thatsignifies her intent as well. She follows that up with an elegant cut for four and the Australian juggernaut keeps on pushing forward.

36th over: Australia 208-1 (Alyssa Healy 111, Beth Mooney 17)

Cross comes back into the attack and Healy shows her intent early with an aggressive pull shot. She only gets two runs from it, but it’s clear that now she’s passed her 100 milestone, she’s going to have some fun with this and go as hard as she can. Which (in case this is your first encounter with Alyssa Healy) is extremely hard. Next ball she drives one past deep extra cover for four before getting off strike and giving Mooney a look in. Mooney attempts a little paddle, but doesn’t time it quite right and backtracks down a more traditional route next ball for an easy single. Healy finishes the over by lofting a ball over mid off for another effortless looking boundary.

35th over: Australia 196-1 (Alyssa Healy 100, Beth Mooney 16)

Healy takes strike on 99 with Shrubsole coming back into the attack and she defends the first ball back, she’s not in a hurry here. On the next ball she sees her chance and calls with the loudest “YES” I’ve heard and brings up back-to-back centuries in these two finals matches. She heads straight to Beth Mooney for a hug before celebrating for the crowd and raising her bat. These two have spent a lot of time batting together and it’s a lovely little celebratory moment for them. Despite the fact that it’s an away crowd, the fans are genuinely excited to witness this moment and they’re on their feet in appreciation of what they’ve seen today.

34th over: Australia 187-1 (Alyssa Healy 99, Beth Mooney 12)

The run rate is sneaking up towards six an over, with both of these batters striking at over 100. Healy again is happy to take a single and can’t be tempted into going big to hasten her century. Ecclestone still looks to be the best of the English bowlers and slows the runs down, but it won’t worry Australia.

33rd over: Australia 185-1 (Alyssa Healy 98, Beth Mooney 12)

Healy starts the over on strike to Sciver’s bowling and she’s looking very relaxed close to her century. She doesn’t seem like she wants to do it in one hit and is happy to share the strike with Mooney. The Australian team is looking extremely relaxed on the sidelines – as well they might! Mooney goes unconventionally to Sciver’s bumper and plays a little jumping cut shot over her head for four.

32nd over: Australia 175-1 (Alyssa Healy 96, Beth Mooney 5)

Healy moves ever closer to her century, going at an excellent strike rate of over 100 as well. Ecclestone looks to emulate her previous effort and take another wicket, but she’s not troubling Mooney or Healy too much just yet.

31st over: Australia 170-1 (Alyssa Healy 93, Beth Mooney 3)

Sciver returns and Mooney immediately drives it to deep cover for a single and keeps the strike rotating. Sending Mooney in has allowed Australia to keep up the left-right combination and every time the strike rotates, they’re asking a new question of the England bowlers and fielders. Healy plays a beautiful straight drive late in the over and Brunt sprints across to field it, gets there in time, but the ball bounces off her hand and finds the rope anyway. Brunt takes some time to get up after landing heavily on her shoulder and the umpires take drinks with a ball remaining in the over while Brunt composes herself. The final ball is eventually bowled and Healy takes a quick single from it.

30th over: Australia 162-1 (Alyssa Healy 87, Beth Mooney 1)

Here comes Ecclestone again – she has looked the best of the English bowlers and she proves me right immediately but taking Haynes’s wicket from the first ball of the over. Lanning decides to give herself a bit of a rest and sends Mooney in instead – a well-deserved opportunity after her brilliant tournament so far. Healy gets Mooney on strike and she gets off the mark immediately and they don’t look like losing a wicket is going to slow their momentum too much.

Finally England get their breakthrough! Ecclestone catches the edge of Haynes’s bat as she looks to go big and it’s a comfortable catch for Tammy Beaumont inside the circle at point.

29th over: Australia 160-0 (Alyssa Healy 86, Rachael Haynes 68)

Ed Mackereth on email is feeling for England, but holding on to a touch of hope:

“It must be brutal to have to bowl against Healy and Haynes in this form. England are going to need to have a great day with the bat to make a contest of this. Fingers crossed.”

He’s wondering if the 400 might be on for Australia and I think in this form, you probably can’t count that out. Sciver picks up where Brunt left off with a more economical over, but there are still plenty of singles in it. If not wickets, England need more dot balls at least, but they can’t find them and Healy pulls one cleanly off the last ball for four to rub salt into England’s many wounds.

28th over: Australia 152-0 (Alyssa Healy 80, Rachael Haynes 66)

Some more Brunt and Australia brings up the 150 partnership immediately. It’s a good bounceback from Brunt, but she can’t find that wicket ball. Restricting Australia to a few singles in an over isn’t going to cut it at this point.

27th over: Australia 149-0 (Alyssa Healy 78, Rachael Haynes 65)

What can England do here? The game looks to be rapidly slipping from their grasp. With an Australian team that bats so deep, taking early wickets is essential to get into the batters who haven’t had has much time in the middle. Healy has taken her strike rate up over 100 after a slow start and Haynes is playing her role to perfection. Dean is struggling, but there aren’t too many answers elsewhere either.

26th over: Australia 142-0 (Alyssa Healy 73, Rachael Haynes 63)

Brunt comes around the wicket to Haynes and the singles are still easy pickings for the Australians. After a couple of those, Healy times one beautifully off her hip and sends it down past fine leg to the boundary. She rotates the strike and Haynes takes her own opportunity to go fine for a boundary. Brunt looks frustrated, it’s been a rough over for her.

25th over: Australia 131-0 (Alyssa Healy 67, Rachael Haynes 58)

At the halfway point now and the Australians are in cruise control. Dean comes back into the attack and looks for a more economical over than she’s offered up so far. She starts well enough, but Healy pounces on the third ball to send a ball flying over Ecclestone’s head to the boundary. Katey Martin in commentary isn’t happy with Dean’s change of hairstyle for this match – she thinks Dean should be more superstitious in keeping things the same while they’re working. At this rate, Martin would be very well accepted in Netball Twitter, where changes in trademark hairstyles are a big talking point. Not a great over from Dean again, so maybe Martin has a point?