Monday 17 November 2014

Aussies top ICC Women's Championship Table

Australia's comprehensive 3-0 defeat of the previous high-flying West Indies (remember they beat New Zealand 3-0 back in September?) has sent them back to the top of the ICC Women's Championship table, where they will continue to reside throughout Round 2 of the tournament. In Round 3 they meet with England, in England, and only then can they be knocked off their perch. The points table currently looks like this..

TeamsMatWonLostTiedN/RPtsNet RRForAgainst
Australia Women6600012+0.9521196/236.21130/275.0
West Indies Women633006+0.5841128/257.31111/292.4
England Women320015+0.686367/80.1312/80.1
South Africa Women311013+0.583364/77.0315/76.0
Sri Lanka Women311013-0.583315/76.0364/77.0
India Women302011-0.686312/80.1367/80.1
Pakistan Women303000-1.357467/125.0477/93.4
New Zealand Women303000-1.712392/150.0465/107.3

The remaining second round matches are :-
India v South Africa starting on 24th November 2014
New Zealand v England starting on 11th February 2015
Pakistan v Sri Lanka - on a date to be fixed before the end of February 2015

None of these teams can match Australia's 100% record with six wins out of six, so Australia will hold on to their top of the table spot at least until March next year. Who would back against them staying there for much longer?

India lost the two completed ODIs to England this summer and will be hoping to get their first win under their belts against South Africa, who have won one of the two completed games they played against Sri Lanka. But South Africa will be tough opponents and I think they may even end up winning the series in India (probably 2-1).

New Zealand have home advantage against England, and will be desperate to get something out of that series after their disastrous start in the Caribbean, which leaves them firmly rooted to the foot of the table. New Zealand would normally have been considered to be one for the "Top Four", but their place in the top order is under threat from the likes of Sri Lanka and South Africa, who they play in rounds 4 and 6 of the competition. England's overall record against the Kiwis is not that hot - won 28; lost 31, but they have won the last six, last losing to the White Ferns at Lord's in 2010. They must start as favourites to take the series, and they will be looking for a clean sweep, before taking on the Aussies in the English summer.

Sri Lanka will expect to boost their points tally when they take on Pakistan, which they must do before the end of February next year in the last of the Round 2 matches. In Round 3 they host the West Indies, which should be another great series; New Zealand travel to India for what could be another tricky series; and South Africa are hosted by Pakistan. 

No team can afford to slip up if they want to be in the top four and qualify automatically for the 2017 World Cup. Australia have so far been clinical in all six victories. Can England peg them back in 2015? The Aussies are looking very strong!

MD
17/XI/14

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