Old rivals to make their predicted appearance in final

Just as Australia easily disposed of South Africa, so New Zealand did to India in the second semi-final of the CricInfo Women's World Cup at the BIL Oval today at Lincoln University.

The nine-wicket win, in superb summer conditions, has set up the matchmaker's dream on Saturday between the two trans-Tasman rivals who were always favoured to play the final.

It is shaping as a thrilling contest. Australia, the defending champion who have been unbeaten in the tournament, and New Zealand, the challengers who suffered their only loss to Australia in the opening game, who have improved since then to be at concert pitch after today's game.

India did not rise to the occasion and the tired performances which marked the latter stages of their campaign were borne out.

New Zealand coach Mike Shrimpton said he was heartened by the bowling and fielding effort of the side.

"We created constant pressure through quality bowling and we denied them the partnerships they were looking for as they tried to get more than 200. They were always rebuilding," he said.

Shrimpton was especially pleased with Rachael Pullar's effort when opening the bowling with Katrina Keenan for the first time in the tournament.

"She bowled very well with the new ball and bowled good lines when she came back for her second spell," he said.

India made what proved a fatal mistake by rearranging its batting order for the game.

"They may have expected us to open with a spinner," Shrimpton said.

It is one of the mysteries of sport why teams so willingly change their modus operandi when they get to the crucial stages of competitions.

India fell into that trap yesterday.

They decided their best way to beat New Zealand was to change their batting order around.

The results were predictable against a side which went into the game fully prepared to expect the unexpected.

New Zealand decided not to share the opening bowling duties between pace bowler Katrina Keenan and off-spinner Clare Nicholson as it has done earlier in the tournament. Pullar provided a dual-pronged pace attack which tied the top order down and, once the breakthrough was made, it was surprising how quickly the batting fell over.

Having had seven earlier games in which to try the specific combination, and tactic, India didn't make the effort and when it didn't work confusion quickly took over.

The loss of Chanderkanta Kaul and Anjum Chopra for ducks in the 11th over, Kathryn Ramel's second, were probably the most crucial in the innings although the third umpire dismissal of Anju Jain to a run out was another decisive blow.

The experienced batsman, Purnima Rau, was quickly forced to change any intentions she had of attacking the bowling to defend for all her team was worth.

While painfully slow, by necessity, she carried her bat for 67 runs from 133 balls with four boundaries.

Chasing only 118 to win, New Zealand was never troubled. India rang the bowling changes but the batsmen were unhindered and Anna O'Leary's CricInfo Player of the Match performance was the guiding hand the side needed.

She scored her third half century and probably looked the most assured she has in the tournament.

Captain Emily Drumm scored 47 not out off 43 balls and said afterwards: "It is a relief to have made the final. I am quite ecstatic.

"That was an awesome display against a top side.

"We bowled and fielded the best we have in the tournament. There was always the worry a few nerves could have set in. But all our bowlers had a good bowl, and it was a collective effort.

"Everyone totally fronted up today," she said.

O'Leary said she was probably batting as well as she has in her career but she still hadn't walked from the field and felt 'that was it - the best.'

"I've just been concentrating on doing the job. The decks [pitches] here have been a batsman's paradise. You find you are not even hitting it that hard and it is going for four," she said.