40th over: Australia 244-9 (Blackwell 90, Beams 11)

Poonam Yadav bowling, and good enough. Dot ball, driven straight to cover. Blackwell goes big down the ground, but Mona Meshram the sub fielder stops it on the bounce. Beams cuts a single, then the other sub Mansi Joshi can’t stop Blackwell’s punished full toss to midwicket. Harmanpreet and Pandey are both off the ground with minor injuries. Harmanpreet would have been bowling if not. Blackwell can’t get a run from the fifth ball, straight to cover, then farms the strike from the last. 36 needed from 12 balls.

39th over: Australia 238-9 (Blackwell 83, Beams 10)

Here’s a turn-up. Krishnamurthy bowling for the first time in this World Cup. With four overs to go in a semifinal. Raj going for the confusion technique? Blackwell could have garnered a wide first ball, but she gets bat on one down leg, and only gets two from it. Blackwell slams a single to deep midwicket next ball, then Beams cuts two. Flicks one more. Two balls to come. Theoretically they’re leggies. Realistically they’re loosies. Down the wicket Blackwell, pounds through midwicket for four. Single from the last ball. The over costs 11, the equation is 44 off 19.

38th over: Australia 227-9 (Blackwell 76, Beams 7)

Goswami back to try to finish things off. Instead, Blackwell slams a straight drive for four! Gorgeous strike, full power. Slams a similar shot straight to mid off. Then gets a full toss, pulls it for four more! That was so nearly a no-ball for height as well. Would have been an extra run, extra ball and a free hit. Luck with India on that one. Australia need 55 off 24. Another really big over and this could get interesting. Hell, it’s already interesting. And is there a ton on for Blackwell?

37th over: Australia 218-9 (Blackwell 67, Beams 7)

Six! Massive six! Blackwell thunders one into the media centre, and we can feel the bang as it collides with a wall. Gayakward pitches another ball full, and it goes the same way. Not as long this time, but still clears the rope. It’s now 64 needed off 30. Nahhhhh. Right? Nahhhh…

35th over: Australia 189-9 (Blackwell 48, Beams 3)

Blackwell nearly holes out to long off, but it lands just short. A single. Beams nails a cut shot, but straight to point. Harmanpreet is off the field, limping but beaming. Blackwell says, “Not done yet, mate.” Smacks four down the ground from Deepti Sharma, that clears Krishnamurthy on the bounce at long on. Then she goes again, bigger, over the rope at wide long on for six! Probably her last World Cup innings, so it’s nice that Alex Blackwell is having fun.

34th over: Australia 181-9 (Blackwell 37, Beams 2)

Blackwell’s flying, and might as well score while she can. Beautiful cover drive with Gayakward’s turn, gets four. Then a sweep that’s saved on the rope with a dive, and three more. Last of the over, Beams is back and cutting between the two fielders behind point, and gets off the mark with a couple.

33rd over: Australia 174-9 (Blackwell 30, Beams 0)

Blackwell finishes the over with a late cut for four. A bit of edge, very fine. But she’s batting with the No11 Beams, so that’s the only thing about this situation for Blackwell that’s fine.

32nd over: Australia 168-8 (Blackwell 24, Schutt 2)

Thanks Adam. Gayakwad to continue with the left-arm finger-spinning variety. Schutt gets off strike first ball, slapping one to leg. Then Blackwell does what she does, working two right into the midwicket gap. Genius at finding those spots in the field. When Gayakward errs down leg, Blackwell punishes her. Too many loose balls not taken for full value by Australian players today. This one pulled for four.

31st over: Australia 160-8 (Blackwell 17, Schutt 1)

Well what can you say? Blackwell keeps on keeping on, another straight drive follows the wicket. I admire that. Four added. But they probably two boundaries an over from here to be any chance. Which, I can assure you, they are not. With that prognosis, back to Geoff Lemon to drive this OBO – and Australia’s campaign – to the end.

30th over: Australia 154-7 (Blackwell 12, Jonassen 1)

A couple of singles to end the over but the rare required is up to 11 an over and Australia will be lucky to bat out their overs, let alone seriously challenge that. Capitulation, nothing short of it.

29th over: Australia 150-6 (Blackwell 10, Gardner 1)

You’ll have to take my word for it that not much happened in the remainder of this set, because…

28th over: Australia 147-5 (Blackwell 8, Healy 5)

Deepti to Blackwell, who gets off strike first ball. And that’s a sixth dot for Healy. The run ends there, she finds a single to cover. Away, belatedly. Blackwell immediately turns it back over. Encouragingly, Healy gets on her bike to the last ball, to the pitch and over extra cover for a pressure-release boundary. But the required rate climbs all the same, 9.64 needed now for the World Champs to stay in the comp.

27th over: Australia 140-5 (Blackwell 6, Healy 0)

Well, Healy isn’t a bad option. She’s looked good in limited opportunities. And she has a pop. But goodness me, how is it possible that Ash Gardner is coming in at eight when they need nine an over to win? Healy can’t get off strike though, absorbing four dots to begin. Make that five. Wicket maiden.

26th over: Australia 140-4 (Perry 38, Blackwell 6)

Deepti to Perry initially, but the pattern continues: five singles. Sweepers hit with a minimum of fuss, along the carpet throughout. Oh, I better hit send, because…

25th over: Australia 135-4 (Perry 35, Blackwell 4)

Poonam poses no issues for Blackwell, playing herself in with runs in front then behind the wicket. Perry takes singles to the long-on sweeper twice as well. Good start to the mini-consolidation period. For those playing along, 8.73 now the required rate. Gardner next on that basis alone, surely. (Probably not though).

24th over: Australia 130-4 (Perry 32, Blackwell 2)

Neglected to mention it is Adam again here for the next little while, returning just as that wicket fell. I’m great like that. Ask Mitch Marsh. Blackwell is the new batsman. Perfect time for her to come in an accumulate with Perry. The vice-captain runs, innovates and has eight global tournaments behind her. She knows precisely what is needed from here, both the maths and the tempo. Four singles follow the wicket to highlight the point; they won’t mess around.

Milestone for Perry, meanwhile. What a player. Never made an international ton, remarkably. No better day to set that straight

23rd over: Australia 124-3 (Perry 30, Villani 75)

There is that hundred partnership, with five singles from Poonam Yadav. Milking the bowling much better. That with boundaries mixed in can do it. I’ll hand it back to Adam to see how it goes the next few overs.

22nd over: Australia 121-3 (Perry 28, Villani 72)

Perry finally goes. Short ball from Gayakwad, pulled for four. Singles from the voer as well. Partnership nearing 100.

21st over: Australia 114-3 (Perry 23, Villani 70)

There goes Villani. Down low against Poonam Yadav and reverse-sweeps four. Powerful. “Hard to add power into that shot,” says Ebony Rainford-Brent on TMS. Did that time. Singles too, eight from the over. That’s what they need.

20th over: Australia 106-3 (Perry 22, Villani 63)

Gayakwad drags it back the other way. Perry is the one struggling a bit today. Four dot balls she faces, against the left-armer, before getting a single away. Villani tries to compensate with a loft down the ground, but gets a leading edge towards long off. Mandhana could perhaps have made it or the catch had she moved more decisively, but she hangs back a bit and in the and can only stop it on the bounce, diving, and conceding two. Or saving two. Glass half full?

19th over: Australia 101-3 (Perry 21, Villani 61)

Thanks Adam. And thanks to Elyse Villani, who is playing a gem here. No one has been more critical of her struggles in green and gold, but she’s coming good so far today. First of all, Deepti bowls outside off and Villani slashes it through third man for four. No one behind the wicket really on the off side. Then a better shot, gets all of a ball on the sweep shot, and thumps it between the boundary riders for another one. That takes her to 60, her highest score in ODI cricket. Beating the 59 she made against Pakistan earlier this tournament. The Aussie hundred up too.

18th over: Australia 92-3 (Perry 19, Villani 52)

Well. Boom, BOOM. Villani likes what she sees from Poonam to begin, dancing and swinging cleanly over mid-off for her eighth boundary. The ninth comes next ball, pulled hard between the sweepers with timing that suggests that if anyone is going to do something special from here, it is her. No pressure. And her third boundary of the over caps it, bringing a half-century! A carbon copy of the first, dancing and driving high and strong, once bounce over the rope at long-off. Her tenth boundary. And only 41 balls to get to 50. Well. Do we have another rapid ton on the cards here? 14 from it.

And on that rather positive note, it’s one Australian handballing to another, Geoff Lemon taking the baton for the next little bit.

17th over: Australia 78-3 (Perry 18, Villani 39)

Gayakwad on. Villani likes this, punishing a drive to the cover rope. She’s been heavily maligned in this tournament. And that’s a good thing – women’s cricket needs proper scrutiny and she had a nightmare against England. But that doesn’t mean she can’t seriously play. Feast or famine usually her go, needs to be the former today. Looks well set.

16th over: Australia 72-3 (Perry 17, Villani 34)

Run a ball 50 stand comes up. Has included seven boundaries. Can’t ask much more than that after the brilliant start India had in defence of their 281. Poonam on with her leggies from the City End this over, three comfortable singles taken to the sweepers before a nice bit of fielding on the ring at mid-on ensures that Villani can’t add a fourth. That’s the standard. Back to back tidy overs.

Tickner highlighting that India went at about ten an over from here. Australia have the power for that somewhere, but need to locate it quickly.

15th over: Australia 69-3 (Perry 15, Villani 33)

Gayakwad was yanked after her first over, but is back from the Racecourse End. Love a ground with a Racecourse End, me. Pins Perry back for the most of this over. And that’s cool for Aussie fans. This is what Perry does rather well. Under no circumstances does she hurry early on. Old-fashioned, plays herself in, then pushes up the gears. She collects three runs including a single down the ground to retain the strike.

14th over: Australia 66-3 (Perry 12, Villani 33)

Singles to both before Villani – Junior as they call her in the sheds – again times well, sweeping to the rope. She’s won a player of the match gong alongside a couple of golden globes in this comp. What she’d give for a significant contribution today. They break for a glass of cordial. The required rate is 7.71.

13th over: Australia 60-3 (Perry 11, Villani 28)

Deepti is back and she’s battling this time around. The young gun has 14 taken from the set. It includes one that slips past Verma’s gloves for five wides. Thanks very much. Villani, growing in confidence, goes dancing and makes strong contact over cover. A single behind square keeps her the strike again. Perry doing a lot of watching but that’ll suit. Massive job ahead of her from now until the bitter end, you’d think, if Australia are any chance of finding a way through this. Ash Gardner is going to be big as well. Expect to see her elevated.

12th over: Australia 46-3 (Perry 10, Villani 20)

Shika has been outstanding from the get go. On the money to begin again here, but Villani has enough time to open the face when she misses wide, gliding past point. Her best shot so far. There’s a crowd catch (won’t deny it, I was convinced) that goes down to the penultimate delivery. Villani keeps the strike, scoring again behind point. Boundaries in each of the seven overs. But they still need the better part of eight an over from here.

11th over: Australia 41-3 (Perry 10, Villani 15)

Goodness me, what have I stepped into here? Australia have one foot on QF2. Another wicket here – namely Perry’s – and it’ll be both. And there will be serious questions to answer. Gayakwad on for her first trundle today after a five-for last start against New Zealand. Left-arm orthos. Villani takes one through midwicket, Perry likewise. Villani dropped! Pandey should have taken that at mid-off. False stroke. Tougher on the replay than in real time, but still. Villani had a nightmare with the ball earlier, one over going for 19. Not really her fault – no way she should be bowling in a World Cup semi-final during the Power Play. But it was that kind of innings by Harmanpreet. A lot more on selection later, I suspect.

10th over: Australia 34-3 (Perry 9, Villani 9)

Similar deal. Dot balls, dot balls, then Villani gets a slash past point for a boundary. Single from the last, five from the over. Still too small for this team. I’ll hand you over to the gentleman below for the next few overs.

9th over: Australia 29-3 (Perry 9, Villani 4)

Hmmmm. Perry clips another boundary from Goswami through midwicket, but is otherwise scoreless off the over. Drives to the field, blocks to the bowler. They really need to make use of every delivery here. “Every dot ball they’ll be feeling it,” says former England captain Charlotte Edwards.

8th over: Australia 25-3 (Perry 5, Villani 4)

Elyse Villani next. Had a miserable tournament mostly, two golden ducks, a shocker against England as well, and some harsh assignments with the ball. Needs to stay positive, and she does second ball, skipping down to lift an off-break down the ground. Boundary. Need about 50 more of those.

7th over: Australia 21-2 (Bolton 14, Perry 5)

Goswami continues, the batsmen trade singles. Then Gos gets a bit short, and Bolton cracks a pull shot for four. That’s her area: cut, pull, and that’s about it a lot of the time. Drives off the outside edge to third man.

6th over: Australia 14-2 (Bolton 8, Perry 4)

Ellyse Perry has had the relative luxury of being the backbone for Australia during this World Cup, making half-centuries at a relatively sedate pace. She can’t so much do that today, they’ll need a more dynamic showing. She starts with a boundary clipped through midwicket, but is tied down by Pandey thereafter.

5th over: Australia 9-2 (Bolton 7, Perry 0)

With apologies to Richie Benaud’s rule against hyperbole, a disastrous over for Australia. A disastrous start. They needed to be 40-0 after five. They… are not that.

4th over: Australia 8-1 (Bolton 6, Lanning 0)

Bolton is really struggling against Pandey. Falls over, pokes about, can’t connect, can’t beat the field. Finally a single from the fifth ball of the over. Pandey right on the spot. Lanning can’t score.

3rd over: Australia 7-1 (Bolton 5, Lanning 0)

Pressure. Australia needs a fast start, and Goswami only gives them a single. Beats the outside edge of Lanning with a snorter. Time to give this one another run.

2nd over: Australia 6-1 (Bolton 4, Lanning 0)

Lanning in at the crease already. The best player in the world, but hampered by that heavily strapped shoulder. Can she do it?

1st over: Australia 4-0 (Bolton 3, Mooney 1)

How will Australia approach this? Bolton and Mooney opening. Thought perhaps a pinch-hitter might have come up the order, but they’re trying to stay calm. Huge appeal, not given. But Bolton would have been out if Goswami had decided to go upstairs. Hitting the top of middle as Bolton was surprised by pace and tried to jam the bat down. Quiet over, they need a big start Australia. But a big slice of fortune there.

Wow. Wowwitty wozzitty wow. Wowselators. Good griefification. I don’t even remember English words any more. That was such a thrilling performance, adrenaline is filling my brain capsules. Adrenaline, nice name for a girl. She might grow up to bat No4.

The ground DJ greeted that innings with The Greatest, by Sia. Fair call. I’ve had the privilege of being there for Atapattu’s 178* against the Australians a couple of weeks ago, then this knock today. Can’t get a burnt match in between them: one a solo hand played with no support, the other done when the stakes could not have been higher. Well, they could be. In the final in Sunday. Which is where India will be going unless Australia can produce something (in the gravelly growl of Bruce Macavaney) speeeecialllll.

That’s it from me. I need a lie down. Geoff Lemon will be here soon.

41st over: India 268-4 (Kaur 165, Krishnamurthy 9)

Two sixes in a row. Just don’t bowl there. Or anywhere. Take a break. Go for a walk. Sing the songs that you want to sing. Just don’t bowl to Harmanpreet Kaur. Two sixes, both picked up from outside off, both gunned over square leg and over the Indian squad sat a few feet from the adverstising boards. Slappage of the highest order.

39th over: India 243-4 (Kaur 149, Krishnamurthy 1) Oh my days. She’s still going. Elyse Villani into the attack – yeah, me neither – starts with a wide and Sharma runs a by to get Kaur on strike. Then a wide short ball is swept to square leg for six! It means she has 101 from the last 41 balls she’s faced in this partnership! Unreal. A four through cover and a dab to leg gets Sharma on strike and then out. Ends with Sharma slapping one through midwicket – full bunger, by the way – for four. That’s 50 off three overs. Kaur’s also more than doubled her tournament tally with this innings.

38th over: India 224-3 (Kaur 134, Sharma 25) A 14th bowling change of the innings as Megan Schutt takes the second over of Power Play, from the Racecourse End. Sharma rushes to get off strike and is nearly run out at the bowler’s end. She just, just makes it in. Then it’s back to the Verbal Harman Monster. The Score Enhancer. Sick of phoney bowlers trying to control the Kaur. Two fours, one through extra cover, the other over it. Two overs of Power Play and that’s 31 off it.

37th over: India 215-3 (Kaur 126, Sharma 28) Right, Power Play taken. Just the four overs because this is a 42-over affair. The crowd bellow “WE WANT SIXER” – an IPL staple – and Kaur obliges. The first just makes it onto the sponge. The second clears it – both at square leg – to bring up the century partnership off 72 balls. Kaur has 77 of them! Gardner decides to bowl two wide of off-stump. So Kaur goes through extra cover. No matter. Finishes with two and that’s 23 off the over.

36th over: India 102-3 (Kaur 104, Sharma 23)

After 11 scoring shots, Schutt manages to get away two dots in a row to Harmanpreet Kaur. Doesn’t get a third though, as Kaur threads a drive through extra cover. Different gravy.