ICC Women's World Cup 2017: Confusion over toss agitates Australian skipper

Meg Lanning and Stefanie Taylor argue over the toss

What's the story?

The opening match for Australia against West Indies in the ICC Women’s World Cup commenced on an enraged note. Everyone present during the toss was confused as the West Indies skipper, Stefanie Taylor contradicted in her choice after winning the toss. She informed David Jukes –  the match referee and the others that the Carribeans will bat first. However, when the television host Ian Bishop asked Taylor, she said that her team is going to bowl first.

The Australian captain Meg Lanning was not pleased with the confusion which she realised only after she had already said that they are going to bowl while talking to Bishop. The two captains got into a heated argument to determine what has to be done next. Eventually, Jukes interfered and it was ruled out that the captains will have to stick to the original decision i.e. the West Indies opting to bat first.

In case you didn't know...

Australia and West Indies are arch rivals in this tournament. The two faced each other in the finals of the last World Cup in 2013 and were set to begin their campaign in this year's World Cup opener.

With regard to the confusion surrounding the toss, the rule states that captains cannot alter their decision once it has been communicated to others. Thus, the captain who wins the toss will have to stick by the first choice that he/she made.

The heart of the matter

The confusion with the Toss brought about a lot of chaos at the beginning of the game. Both the captains wanted to bowl first after they inspected the pitch. Taylor was a little confused about the decision that she made. However, it was too late to make any corrections as it was already announced. The contradiction between the two decisions demanded Jukes to intervene in the long heated debate between Taylor and Lanning.

Well, bowling first in this match clearly had its own advantages as Australia went on to show –  winning the match by eight wickets. 

The toss was not the only bearer of confusion in this match. The media was also handed the incorrect Australian team sheet. This form stated that Rachael Haynes was playing ahead of Ashleigh Gardner. 

What's next?

Australia is leading the chart of teams competing in World Cup. However, the West Indies’ loss pushed them to the bottom of the table. They will now have to dominate the game against their subsequent opponents to climb up in the points table.

Australia and West Indies will take on Sri Lanka and India in their next match scheduled to take place on Thursday.

Author's take

This match was certainly not a haven for exciting moments. And it was evident that the choices made during the Toss affected the entire game. 

The Toss is recognised as a crucial task before any match. A small error can lead to a massive loss and there would be no one to blame. Thus, it is essential that the captains pay their attention to the proceedings.

I hope Taylor learnt her lessons because West Indies will now have to fight in every match if they wish to qualify for the playoffs.