In our weekly feature on the ins and outs in women's sport, fans turn up in their droves to watch England women at Wembley while Sophie Devine smashes five consecutive sixes in the WBBL.

A week in the world of women's sport

A week in the world of women's sport

Cricket

6-6-6-6-6

No, that's not some dodgy phone number, that's Adelaide Strikers opener Sophie Devine hitting five consecutive sixes off teenager Maddie Penna in the Women's Big Bash League win over the Melbourne Stars.

Kiwi Devine smashed an unbeaten 85 from 56 balls as the Strikers made 164 for four and then their bowlers restricted the Melbourne outfit to 147 for eight.

That win saw the Adelaide side move back to the top of the standings with the Sydney Thunder, Brisbane Heat and Melbourne Renegades completing the top four.

In other results over the weekend, Perth Scorchers beat the Thunder by seven runs, the Heat were seven-wicket winners over the Sydney Sixers and the Renegades beat the Hobart Hurricanes by eight wickets.

There is also International women's cricket on the go as the West Indies are hosting India and 15-year-old Shafali Verma is grabbing the headlines.

Verma, already India's youngest-ever women's T20 player, became her country's youngest player (male or female) to score a half-century in T20s as she smashed a 49-ball 73 in the first T20 in St Lucia as India won by 84 runs.

And then she went on to do it again in the second match, scoring an unbeaten 69 from 35 balls as the visitors won by 10 wickets.

Football

It was a good news, bad news kind of weekend for the England women's team as a record-breaking crowd of 77,768 watched their international friendly against Germany at Wembley.

It was the highest-ever attendance for an England women's match at home, beating the previous record of 45,619.

Unfortunately it was not the result they were looking for as Germany won 2-1 thanks to a last-gasp goal.

England got off to a nightmare start as Alexandra Popp gave the visitors the lead in the ninth minute, but Ellen White drew her side level in the 44th minute as she became the first female player to score for England at Wembley.

However, Germany had the last laugh as Klara Bühl scored in the 90th minute.

Golf

Another first-time winner was added to the LPGA Tour this weekend as Ai Suzuki claimed her maiden title when she lifted the Japan Classic on home soil.

Suzuki carded a bogey-free final round five-under-par 67 to finish on a total of 17-under 199 for a three-shot victory with South Korean Kim Hyo-joo in second place.

"Somehow, I am very settled, and my shot were solid," the 25-year-old said via a translator. "So I did not have to worry about other players. I just have to play bogey-free round.

"One thing I wanted to improve is to have some birdies on Sunday's back-nine.

"Because I think strong players are like that. I wish I can do that. It was my 15th win. This one is special because it's a US LPGA event. It's beyond Japan, an international event."

The 2019 Ladies European Tour will come to climax at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open on December 8 and the event on African soil has a big draw card as Cheyenne Woods, niece of the great Tiger Woods, has signed up.

The American will be joined in the field by her compatriot Beth Allen, Norway’s Marianne Skarpnord, Austrian Christine Wolf and Nuria Iturrioz from Spain.

Netball

The England squad for their upcoming series against South Africa have been released and Jade Clarke, Fran Williams, Natalie Haythornthwaite and Natalie Panagarry have all been included in the 14-player squad.

Head coach Jess Thirlby has also added Kadeen Corbin and Stacey Francis to the squad after they missed the recent World Cup.

"We have a real mix of talent, including some players with extensive experience of competing in the England set up and who most importantly know how to operate on the international stage, as well as some who are new to it and have a bright future ahead," Thirlby said.

"Having this variety is really important in a team as the newer faces bring lots of energy and excitement and will benefit from rubbing shoulders with more experienced team-mates."

Squad: George Fisher, Eleanor Cardwell, Kadeen Corbin, Sophie Drakeford-Lewis, Natalie Haythornthwaite, Jade Clarke, Laura Malcolm, Natalie Panagarry, Stacey Francis, Kate Shimmin, Fran Williams, Razia Quashie, Gabriella Marshall (training partner), Summer Artman (training partner).

The start of the 2020 Vitality Netball Superleague season is still a few weeks away, but Severn Stars have completed their squad with former England captain Ama Agbeze as well as Malawi international Towera Vinkhumbo joining the outfit.

"Since its inception the team has had a growth in its on court prowess, results and perception and I'm keen to join the team and contribute to that," Agbeze said.

She added: "I've worked with both of them [head coach Melissa Bessell and fellow player Liana Leota] before and think they are great motivators, leaders and strong women. Add that to their ability around netball and you have a great environment to thrive."

Tennis

Allez le bleus! France are your 2019 Fed Cup champions after a stunning 3-2 victory over Australia in Perth with Kristina Mladenovic the star of the show.

Mladenovic won both her singles rubbers and then teamed up with Caroline Garcia in the doubles to win the decisive match.

The duo beat Ashleigh Barty and Samantha Stosur 6-4, 6-2 to give France their third Fed Cup title and first since 2003.

Mladenovic beat Ajla Tomljanovic 6-1, 6-1 and then stunned world No 1 Barty 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) while Tomljanovic defeated Pauline Parmentier 6-4, 7-5 and Barty hammered Garcia 6-0, 6-0.

But the French doubles pair, who slumped to defeat at the hands of the Czech Republic at the same stage in 2016, had the final laugh with a stunning victory.

"Lots of emotions to share this with Caro after three years ago we failed on the last step of the tie," Mladenovic said. "Today we just wanted to play for a little revenge for ourselves, and it’s just not describable how we feel right now."

And more celebrations.

By Shahida Jacobs, editor of Tennis365.com


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