Rachael Haynes' knock of 130 was followed up by a spirited bowling spell from Alana King as Australia defeated England by 12 runs in the third game of the ongoing Women`s 50-over World Cup at Seddon Park, Hamilton on Saturday.


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Chasing 311, England got off to a poor start as the side lost opening batter Lauren Winfield-Hill (0) on the fourth ball of the innings. Tammy Beaumont and skipper Heather Knight then led the charge for Three Lions and the duo kept on scoring steadily.


Both batters put on 92 runs for the second wicket and the partnership finally came to an end in the 19th over as Tahlia McGrath dismissed Knight (40). Beaumont and Nat Sciver then stitched together a stand of 57 runs for the third wicket but England was given a body blow after Alana King got the better of Beaumont (74), reducing England to 149/3 in the 28th over.



Nat Sciver and Sophia Dunkley went on to score 109* and 28 respectively, but Australia managed to hold its nerve to register a 12-run win. Earlier, Rachael Haynes and Meg Lanning scored 130 and 86 respectively as Australia posted 310/3 in the allotted fifty overs. Ellyse Perry, in the end, scored 14 off just five balls to take Australia`s score past the 300-run mark.For England, Natalie Sciver returned with two wickets.


Brief Scores: Australia 310/3 (Rachael Haynes 130, Meg Lanning 86; Nat Sciver 2-68); England 298/8 (Nat Sciver 109*, Tammy Beaumont 74; Alana King 3-59).