Sciver, spinners seal semis berth for England

England became the second team from Group B to seal their 2020 Women's T20 World Cup semifinal berth after inflicting a convincing 46-run defeat on 2016 champions, West Indies. Natalie Sciver again played a defining innings, hitting her eighth T20I fifty to propel England to an above-par 143 on the slow Sydney Showground pitch that's conducive to spin. Sophie Ecclestone (3 for 7) and Sarah Glenn (2 for 16) then ran through the middle order - already deprived of their linchpin Stafanie Taylor - to wrap them up for 97 on the first delivery of the 18th over.

Did England mend their opening pair?

They did, bringing Tammy Beaumont back to where she belongs. But it didn't yield the results England wanted as Shakera Selman trapped her plumb in front off the second ball she faced in the opening over itself. However, if reuniting Beaumont with Danielle Wyatt at the top of the order did not click, the move to drop Amy Jones down the order sure did. When Sciver seemed to be running out of partners to stitch a partnership with, the wicketkeeper-bat put her hand up and played a vital little cameo of 23 not out off 13. Freed of the pressure, Jones picked up three quick boundaries in her short stay that helped England gather as many as 48 runs in the final five overs and post a compelling total that has been the best in the three games at the venue so far.

Who got the bulk of runs for England?

After twice playing the sidekick to Heather Knight, Sciver today was the glue that held the England innings together. Whether it was seeing through the recovery after an early setback or providing support to Jones in their late flourish, Sciver's rich vein of form continued as she notched up her third fifty of the tournament. She fetched three boundaries, front and behind square, across the two overs of Aaliyan Alleyne to get England going after a slow, bumpy start in the powerplay. Despite Wyatt's dismissal after their fifty partnership, Sciver took the attack to West Indies and targeted their spinners. In-form Knight's careless run-out that threatened to rob England of some runs puts Sciver's 56-ball 57 in perspective as she never let England slow down.

How did West indies begin their chase?

Much like England, West Indies too had a change of personnel at the top of the order. Just like England, West Indies' risk didn't pay off either. They gave the destructive Deadndra Dottin a free hand in the powerplay overs to probably help find her rhythm back. However, Dottin's rustiness shone through yet again as she went down on one knee to slog-sweep Ecclestone but failed to middle it and sent it straight into the waiting hands of Sciver at midwicket. Taylor's back-to-back boundaries off Brunt only marginally helped as they finished the powerplay with a lowly 28/1.

Where did West Indies falter?

In the middle overs. England's spinners took over and West Indies lost three in successive overs plus their captain to an injury. Put down on 12 and just as she was beginning to find runs for her side, Taylor picked up what seemed like a groin injury and had to be stretched off between the change of 8th and 9th over. The glum faces in the dugout revealed how telling that blow was to West Indies' chances.

And if that wasn't enough, Glenn bowled Matthews one ball later to lend another decisive cut. Chedean Nation survived an LBW appeal in the same over with the successful use of a review but fell to the same bowler in her next, this time England putting their review to good use. In between the two dismissals was Mady Villiers who began her World Cup with a wicket-maiden - pulling off a stunning one-handed return catch as Shemaine Campbelle tried to take the aerial route against the offie. Dropped by Sciver and Brunt, Lee-Ann Kirby smacked a few lusty blows to awaken the handful of West Indies. But Sciver made amends at the boundary line to put an end to her fireworks. Britney Cooper too threatened, but only to delay the inevitable.

What did go West indies way?

Their fielding. It was a near flawless performance in the field with Matthews and Taylor leading the way as they threw themselves around in the circle to cut off boundaries. Another standout was Shakera Selman, who after the first-over breakthrough, held on to a catch to send back the destructive Wyatt and then ran out England's leading run-scorer Knight with a pinpoint throw.

Where do the two teams go from here?

England are through to the semis, but still await for South Africa's final game - against West Indies - to find out where do they finish on the table and who do they take on at the SCG. West Indies, more than their inconsequential final group game, would await the news on their injured captain who was immediately sent for scans.

Brief scores:England 143/5 in 20 overs (Natalie Sciver 57, Amy Jonens 23*; Shakera Selman 1-23, Anisa Mohammed 1-23) beat West Indies 97 all out in 17.1 overs (Lee-Ann Kirby 20; Sophie Ecclestone 3-7, Sarah Glenn 2-16) by 46 runs.