Australia Women crush Barbados Women by nine wickets at Commonwealth Games
Needing 65 to win from 20 overs, Meg Lanning scored an unbeaten 36 from 21 balls and Alyssa Healy 23 from 24 balls to propel Australia to 68-1 in just 8.1 overs.
The pair shared in a second-wicket partnership of 63 after Australia had lost the wicket of Beth Mooney for two in the second over.
Shanika Bruce was the lone wicket-taker for Barbados. She took 1-7 from the two overs she bowled.
Australia won the toss and sent Barbados to bat on a grassy pitch that held no terrors. Openers Deandra Dottin and Captain Hayley Matthews got the Caribbean representatives off to a good start getting to 20 inside four overs.
However, it all began to go wrong with the fifth ball of the fourth over bowled by Darcie Brown. Matthews had punished the bowler with two boundaries before getting out to an injudicious shot for 18.
She was the only batter to get into double figures as Deandra Dottin went for eight as Barbados slipped to 37 for 2. Shortly thereafter Kycia Knight was out for nine pulling Tahlia McGrath down to backward square where Megan Schutt held onto an easy catch and leave Barbados in serious trouble on 39-3 in the ninth over.
Barbados lost their last seven wickets for just 25 runs courtesy of Alana King who took 4-8 and McGrath 3-13. Ashleigh Gardener chipped in with a haul of 2-6 from her four overs as the batters fell like nine pins.