Aus bounce back, NZ crush Irish

Australia bounced back from opening-match defeat by beating South Africa by six wickets while favourites New Zealand edged closer to semifinals by handing debutantes Ireland a 42-run defeat in the Group A fixtures of the Women's World Twenty20 at the Sylhet Cricket Stadium yesterday.
Australia, who lost against West Indies on Monday, rode on an unbeaten 60-run stand for the fifth wicket between Ellyse Perry (41 not out) and Jess Cameron (27 not out) to knock off South Africa's total of 115 for nine.
New Zealand's inspirational skipper Suzie Bates had little hesitation when she won the toss and made most use of a placid wicket. Bates (68) and Frances Mackay (51) started cautiously, but their 116-run opening stand gave Sara McGlashan the ideal platform to plunder 34 off just 13.
The Irish reply started briskly as they reached 50 off 46 balls for the loss of one wicket, but three more wickets in the space of the next five overs, including Shillington (41) and Joyce (28) made it an uphill battle.

SCORES IN BRIEF
NEW ZEALAND: 171 for 3 (Bates 68, Mackay 51, McGlashan 34 not out; Richardson 2-32)
IRELAND: 129 for 5 (Cecelia 41, Shillington 28; Nielsen 2-23)
Result: New Zealand won by 42 runs.
Player-of-the-match: Suzie Bates (New Zealand)
SOUTH AFRICA: 115 for 9 (Chetty 30, Kapp 20, Luus 19 not out; Hunter 2-13, Farrell 2-19)
AUSTRALIA: 116 for 4 in 18.4 overs (Perry 41 not out, Cameron 27 not out; Loubser 1-19, Ismail 1-12)
Result: Australia won by 6 wickets.
Player-of-the-match: Ellyse Perry (Australia)