- Bangladesh top group A to meet Ireland, Thailand top Group B to meet Papua New Guinea in semi-finals
- The winner of each semi-final will progress to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia, beginning in February 2020
- Either Thailand or Papua New Guinea will qualify for their first ever ICC global event
- From the semi-finals, the final, held on Saturday 7th September at Forthill, will decide who heads into Group A and Group B at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia in 2020.
"VAN" (Sports Desk) :: With Ireland and Thailand already claiming their spots at the semi-finals, their toss-up today at Forthill was the decider of who finishes top of Group B – an 2-run DLS win securing first place for Thailand to face the runner up of Group A, Papua New Guinea, in the semi-final at Forthill on Thursday 5th September.
At the start of the day, two spots from Group A at the semi-finals were still up for grabs with Bangladesh, Scotland and PNG needing a win and other results to go their way to progress. A 13-run DLS win for Bangladesh over Scotland ensured they finished top of the group, with Papua New Guinea finishing second to progress ahead of Scotland (3rd place) and USA (4th place).
Ireland vs. Thailand @ Forthill Cricket Club
Toss: Ireland won the toss and elected to field
Thailand won a dramatic last ball 2-run DLS thriller at Forthill to finish top of Group B and set-up a semi-final clash against Papua New Guinea on Thursday 5th September at Forthill.
With both teams having qualified for the semi-finals already, the fixture determined which team finished first and would play second place in Group A.
Revised to 17-overs due to earlier rain, Thailand started well to post 59/2 after ten, but Leah Paul (3/10) pulled the game back nicely for Ireland with two wickets in two balls to dimiss Boochatham with a return catch off her bowling for 1 and Kamchomphu miscuing a big hit to Laura Delany at mid-off for a golden duck.
Coming back to bowl the 13th, Paul bagged the prized scalp of Chaiwai, again hitting to mid-off, to send the dangerous opener on her way for 24 and leave half of Thailand’s side back in the pavilion with 71 on the board after 12.4 overs.
On a slow pitch, Thailand reached a respectable 92/7. A team known for their big-hitting, Thailand only put away four boundaries – smart singles and quick running instead allowing the batters to rotate the strike and build a total.
In response, Ireland lost regular wickets but a 32-run stand between Paul (11) and Richardson (21) provided Ireland with hope of chasing down the total against a disciplined bowling attack.
But with the rain coming down and slightly below on DLS, Ireland fell away in the closing stages as they tried to keep up with the ever increasing DLS par score.
Despite being eight down, Ireland went into the final over needing an achievable eight runs from six balls.
A two off the penultimate ball meant Ireland needed two for a super over and three for a win. Knowing Ireland needed a boundary, Kamchomphu (1/11) enticed Maritz (5) down the track in attempt of the glory shot but instead the ball bounced straight into the hands of Koncharoenkai who took the bails off nab a wicket on the last ball.
Thailand’s Sutthiruang (3/13), highest wicket-taker in the competition with 10, combined with Laomi (3/17) to do the bulk of the damage and keep Ireland to second place in Group B.
Ireland will now face Bangladesh, who finished top in Group A, in the first semi-final at Forthill.
Scotland vs. Bangladesh @ Forthill Cricket Club
Toss: Scotland won the toss and elected to field
Hosts Scotland were knocked out of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier by Bangladesh at Forthill Sports Club thanks to a 13-run DLS defeat.
Winning the toss and opting to field first, a. nervy start from the Scots saw Bangladesh race away to 21/1 after four overs, an early over from Priyanaz Chatterji (0/10) going for 10 runs as the seamer struggled to find her line.
Brought on to bowl the fifth, Abtaha Maqsood (2/20) did well to dry up Bangladesh’s scoring options throughout her consecutive four over spell – Bangladesh reaching 63/3 after 11 when she was bowled out – but the lack of wicket taking options for Scotland allowed Bangladesh to get too comfortable in their innings.
Top-order batters Murshida Khatun (26) and Nigar Sultana (35*) were able to set the tone before Fargana Hoque (23) was allowed to come in with freedom to score at the closing stages, meaning Bangladesh reached a worrying 104/4 after 17 overs when the rain came and concluded the first innings.
Chasing an improbable 63 from eight overs, Scotland suffered three run outs (Hawkins for 9, Glen for 2, Willis for 2) as they chanced Bangladesh’s fielding in attempt at knocking off 7.8 runs per over.
Needing someone to anchor the innings if there was to be any hope, Scotland’s Kathryn Bryce (21) was the only batter to reach double figures and hit more than one boundary before slapping the ball to mid-on in the seventh with 23 runs required and with it, all hope dashed for Scotland.
19 runs were asked of Priyanaz Chatterji and Ellen Watson from the final over, but the pair could only add five before the end of their innings cemented Bangladesh’s place at the top of Group A and semi-final spot against Ireland.
Namibia vs. Netherlands @ Arbroath Cricket Club
Toss: Namibia won the toss and elected to bat
Netherlands won their first game of the tournament with a six-wicket win over Namibia at Arbroath at the venue’s first game of the day.
A 3-fer from Zwilling (3/11) and Siegers (3/27) set the tone straight away, the latter claiming a wicket on the second ball of the match, to restrict Namibia to 91/8 despite a battling 29 from van der Merwe.
34 from Kalis at the top of the order cemented her top two spot on the list of most runs in the tournament, second to Kathryn Bryce, as Netherlands chipped away at the runs required with 17 balls to spare.
Netherlands, finishing third in Group B and missing out on a semi-final spot, will play USA in their next fixture of the competition at Arbroath Cricket Club on Thursday 5th September.
PNG vs. USA @ Arbroath Cricket Club
Toss: USA won the toss and elected to field first
Sibona Jimmy starred with a sensational Player of the Match performance to claim two points for PNG and set them up for a semi-final clash against Thailand with a second-place finish in Group A.
Starting with the bat, Jimmy hit a brilliant 58 not out from 50 at the top of the order to propel PNG to 133/3 after 20 and hand them their most convincing display with the bat in the tournament so far.
Cameos from Tau (24) and Ruma (29) helped PNG to a total 22 runs (DLS) out of reach for USA.
Despite a quick fire 35 off 26 from Erica Rendler in a revised 17-over run chase for USA, Sibona Jimmy made her mark with the ball as well as the bat to take 3/15 and give PNG their second victory – after Scotland – of the tournament.
PNG’s clash against Thailand in the semi-final stage of the tournament means one of the two teams will qualify for their first ever ICC global event.
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