WWC17 Classic Fantasy: Round 4 Review & Round 5 Tips
Another action-packed round of WWC17 fixtures took place on Wednesday and Thursday, featuring many glittering performances, but did you get your picks right?
Round four round-up
England’s Tammy Beaumont (5.5) and Sarah Taylor (7.5) shared a record second-wicket stand of 275 as England racked up 373-5 against a strong South Africa bowling attack in Bristol. South Africa were always behind the rate but made a valiant 305-9 in reply, with openers Laura Wolvaardt (67 runs) and Lizelle Lee (8.0, 72) the losing side’s top-scorers.
Tammy Beaumont at her best
Australia scored 290-8 in 50 overs in Leicester on Wednesday against Pakistan, who, in reply, could only amass 131, as Australia notched their fourth straight win by 159 runs. Class act Ellyse Perry (9.5) top-scored with 66, while Australia’s Kristen Beams (5.5) and Ashley Gardner (2.5), plus Pakistan’s Sana Mir (8.0) all claimed three-fers.
India narrowly defeated Sri Lanka in a thriller in Derby on Wednesday. India won the toss and batted, with their total of 232-9 underpinned by a pair of fifties from Deepti Sharma (6.0) and skipper Mithali Raj (9.0).
Sri Lanka’s chase was a seesawing affair, with contributions throughout the order, led by 61 from keeper Dilani Manodara (4.0). But thanks to some tight bowling from Jhulan Goswami (9.0) and Poonam Yadav (4.0), India were always ahead of the game, and player of the match Sharma comfortably defended 23 from the last over, as India ran out winners by 16 runs.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS - #WWC17 - New Zealand v West Indies
New Zealand thrashed West Indies in Taunton on Thursday, as they bounced back from their loss against Australia in style. They won the toss and inserted New Zealand, with opening bowlers Lea Tahuhu (7.5) and Leigh Kasperek (4.0) combining to reduce West Indies to 53-5.
The West Indies did well to recover to 150, but it never looked enough. Wicketkeeper Rachel Priest (6.0) decided to have a go from the off, and smashed the fastest half-century in ICC Women’s World Cup history on her way to 90 off 55. Captain Suzie Bates (9.5) remained not out on 40 as her side triumphed by eight wickets with more than 30 overs remaining.
Highest point-scorers: round four
It’s no shock that Sarah Taylor and Tammy Beaumont were the highest point-scorers in round four, with 236 and 222 points respectively. Taylor (147) and Beaumont (148) blazed their side to a mammoth total via a whopping 275-run stand. It was the highest England partnership for any wicket and the highest at a World Cup, but fell short of the world-record 320 made by India's Deepti Sharma and Poonam Raut versus Ireland earlier this year. Sharma was the third highest point-scorer of the round with 168, closely followed by New Zealand’s Rachel Priest with 166 and Pakistan’s Sana Mir (8.0) on 152.
Century No. 6 for Sarah Taylor
Highest point-scorers: overall
While it’s a common ploy to jump on form players, it’s a marathon – not a sprint. The highest point-scorer of the competition at large is England’s all-action all-rounder Heather Knight (8.0), who’s raked in an astonishing 485 points, proving the value of those who can contribute in multiple disciplines. Knight’s always in the game, which is good news for Classic Fantasy managers. Teammate Sarah Taylor is in second with 419 points, closely followed by Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu (6.0), Deepti Sharma and her India team-mate Smriti Mandhana (5.0).
Top five transfer tips for round five:
Amy Satterthwaite, New Zealand (9.0): Pakistan have lost all four of their games so far, and New Zealand just one – so get some Kiwis in. Satterthwaite could be your best bet, since she averages 133 against Pakistan in ODIs, with three hundreds from five innings against them.
**Natalie Sciver (7.0):**England versus Australia is likely to be one of the most closely contested group stage games, and since the match might go either way, you’ll want players from both sides in. Sciver smashed 137 against Pakistan, so she’s in prime form.
Chamari Athapaththu, Sri Lanka (6.0): West Indies take on Sri Lanka this Sunday, with the game a must-win for both if they are to keep their hopes of semi-final qualification alive. Athapaththu smashed 178* earlier in the tournament against Australia and is great value for a mid-price player.
#WWC17 SL v IND - Deepti Sharma's innings
Deepti Sharma, India (6.0): Sharma has been in excellent form with the ball, having taken seven wickets in four games. Against Sri Lanka she showed she’s handy with the bat too, top scoring with 78, making her a great choice for an all-rounder spot.
Rachael Haynes (4.0): Haynes made her captaincy debut against Pakistan in place of the injured Meg Lanning. A top-order batter in a table-topping side – she’s a steal.
Top transfer tip:
After round two there were four batters and five all-rounders in the top 10 overall point-scorers in Classic Fantasy. An obvious pattern had emerged: spend your money on reliable point-scoring batters and all-rounders whilst looking for value in the bowling department. All-rounders have really come to the fore in recent weeks, with Heather Knight leading the point-scoring chart by some distance. The theory remained valid after round four: five allrounders (six if you include batsman-wicketkeeper Taylor) and four batters sit in the top 10. Ekta Bisht is the nearest bowler in 13th place.