Blackwell leads Australia into women's final

Australia captain Alex Blackwell led from the front as her side advanced into the women's World Twenty20 final with a seven-wicket win over India here on Thursday.

Blackwell's 61 - her maiden fifty at this level - was the centrepiece of Australia's successful pursuit of a target of 120.

Her innings was all the more impressive as Blackwell, only leading the side because wicketkeeper/batsman Jodie Fields withdrew before the tournament with a hamstring injury, came in with the score one for one.

But together with left-handed opener Shelley Nitschke (22), she shared a second-wicket stand of 74 that ended Indian hopes.

By the time the 26-year-old from Wagga Wagga was stumped by Sulakshana Naik off leg-spinner Priyanka Roy, Australia were 101 for three and almost home. Blackwell faced 49 balls, including eight fours.

Leah Poulton, unbeaten on 30, ended the match with seven balls to spare with a boundary. "It's been a little while coming," Blackwell said of her innings. "I haven't scored too many runs early in the tournament and have kicked on a little bit towards the real crux end, so I'm happy with that.

"It's just so great to go through to our first Twenty20 final."

Australia, who lost in last year's semi-final to eventual champions England, will face the winners of Friday's match between the West Indies and New Zealand in Sunday's final at Barbados's Kensington Oval.

"We've not had a great record against New Zealand but we haven't been beaten by the West Indies," Blackwell said. "But either of those teams are going to be very tough to beat." Australia's victory also kept alive hopes of a national 'double', with the men's side facing defending champions Pakistan in Friday's semi-final.

"It would be amazing, it would be a first, I think, to have teams from the same country winning both the men's and women's titles.

"We are going to give it a red-hot go in the final. We've seen the boys around, we watched them play against the West Indies and they look like they are in really good form so let's hope we both bring out a really good game in the final."

Australia's reply get off to a stuttering start, when Elyse Villani was bowled off an under-edge by Goswami for nought to leave her side one for one. But Nitschke, twice pierced the cover field as she drove left-arm spinner Gouhar Sultana for four.

Blackwell was soon into her stride, with three fours in as many balls from Roy as she took advantage of a trio of full tosses. Australia, thanks to tight bowling and fine fielding, restricted India, also a losing semi-finalist in England in 2009, to 199 for five.

"We have to improve our fielding," said Goswami. "The Aussies, the New Zealanders and England are more agile than us." India opener Poonam Raut made 44 off 51 balls, with three boundaries, before she became one of three wickets that fell in the 17th over.

Raut put on 57 with Harmanpreet Kaur before she was run out by bowler Ellyse Perry's quick thinking flick onto the stumps after backing up too far.

That same over also saw Goswami run out for nought by Blackwell's direct hit and next ball Raut was caught by Jess Cameron, running in from long-on.

Earlier India star's batsman Mithali Raj was drawn out of her crease by spinner Lisa Sthalekar and stumped for 16 by Alyssa Healy - the niece of former Australia wicketkeeper Ian. St. Lucia, AFP.