King’s record spell sends Australia to World Cup semifinals
Alana King Fires as Australia Reach World Cup Semifinals – Image created by ChatGPT with DALL·E by OpenAI.
VOCABULARY LIST
Leg-spinner (noun) /ˈlɛgˌspɪnə/: a bowler who makes the ball spin from leg to off side when it hits the ground.
Example: Alana King is one of Australia’s top leg-spinners.Dismantle (verb) /dɪsˈmæntl/: to destroy or break something into parts; here, to easily defeat the other team.
Example: King completely dismantled South Africa’s batting line-up.Duck (noun) /dʌk/: in cricket, when a batter is out without scoring any runs.
Example: Two South African players were out for a duck.Maiden over (noun) /ˈmeɪdn ˈoʊvə/: an over in cricket where no runs are scored.
Example: King started her spell with a double wicket maiden.Figures (noun) /ˈfɪɡəz/: the record of a bowler’s wickets and runs in a match.
Example: King’s figures of seven for 18 were the best in Women’s World Cup history.Chased down (phrasal verb) /tʃeɪst daʊn/: to reach a target score by batting second.
Example: Australia chased down South Africa’s total in under 17 overs.Lbw (noun) /ˌɛl bi ˈdʌblju/: short for “leg before wicket”, a way a batter can be out.
Example: The umpire gave her lbw after the ball hit her leg in front of the stumps.Upped the ante (phrase) /ʌpt ði ˈænti/: to increase the intensity or level of effort.
Example: Mooney and Voll upped the ante as they moved closer to victory.Wrap up (phrasal verb) /ræp ʌp/: to finish or complete something successfully.
Example: The Aussies wrapped up the match with a seven-wicket win.Regroup (verb) /riˈɡrup/: to come together again and plan after a setback.
Example: South Africa will need to regroup before their next game.
ARTICLE
King’s record spell sends Australia to World Cup semifinals
Alana King bowled a dream match to take Australia to the top of the Women’s Cricket World Cup. The leg-spinner took seven wickets for just 18 runs — the best bowling figures ever seen in the tournament.
South Africa’s batters were completely dismantled, all out for only 97 runs. Australia then chased down the target in just 16.5 overs to wrap up a strong seven-wicket win.
Australia won the toss and decided to bowl first. Laura Wolvaardt started well with four boundaries, but Megan Schutt got her out for 31. Soon after, Kim Garth trapped Tazmin Brits lbw for six. At that stage, South Africa were struggling.
When King came on to bowl, things went from bad to worse for the Proteas. She removed two batters in her first maiden over, including one out for a duck. Her bowling was sharp and accurate, making it almost impossible to score. By the end of her spell, she had created history with amazing figures of seven for 18.
During the run chase, Australia lost two early wickets, but Beth Mooney and Phoebe Voll steadied the innings. They upped the ante, finding boundaries and running quick singles. Voll finished unbeaten on 38, and Annabel Sutherland smashed 10 runs from four balls to wrap up the win.
With this victory, Australia continued their unbeaten run in the tournament. They’ll play India in the semifinals, while South Africa will need to regroup before facing England.
SOURCE:
This article is based on:
Otago Daily Times – “King leads way as Australia clinch top”
Reflection Questions
Instructions:
Use these questions as:
– Speaking practice (e.g. talk to yourself, record and listen back)
– Writing practice (e.g. short paragraph answers)
– Class discussion with your teacher or classmates
What made Alana King’s performance so special in this match?
Why do you think South Africa’s batting was dismantled so quickly?
Have you ever had to regroup after something went wrong? What happened?
How do you think players upped the ante to reach their target?
Why do Australians love cricket so much?
Comprehension activity - multiple choice
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