Who made your World Cup team of the tournament?

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The Women’s World Cup team has been chosen by BBC Sport readers as their choice.

An 11th grader, which included four bowlers, five middle-order batters, five openers, and five middle-order starters, was requested.

One of the three categories required the selection of a wicketkeeper. Following the semi-finals and the final, voting was conducted.

South African (66%) Laura Wolvaardt

Laura Wolvaardt holds her bat aloftImages courtesy of Getty
Ffion Wynne, a writer for BBC Sport cricket, described Wolvaardt’s 169 in the semi-final against England as exceptional because it had been bowled out for 69 in the opening game against England.

In terms of the pacing and the calm, I can’t stop thinking about the innings and how fortunate we were to witness them. Sophie Eccelstone simply went bang after her spell was over. It was an outstanding ODI batting performance.

Because it isn’t something we associate with her, the power hitting is what really came to the fore in those innings.

Alyssa Healy-Australia (43%)

Alyssa Healy holds her bat aloft after scoring a centuryImages courtesy of Getty
Ffion Wynne, a writer for BBC Sport, said: “Healy’s ability to be flexible as a keeper and a batter is what has put her in the team’s shoes ahead of Smriti Mandhana.

Nat Sciver-Brunt – England (49%)

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Ffion Wynne, a writer for BBC Sport, said: “Sciver-Brunt has been good without being great. One particularly impressive innings was played, but that’s just how much of England’s batting line-up she carries.

India (55%) Jemimah Rodrigues

India's Jemimah Rodrigues looks emotional after her side's semi-final winImages courtesy of Getty
Ffion Wynne, a writer for BBC Sport, said Rodrigues didn’t realize she was playing for three in the semi-final until the first wicket fell. Then she recorded the century-winning result.

Australia’s Ash Gardner (66%)

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Ffion Wynne, a writer for BBC Sport cricket, said: “She would get in any side as a batter or a bowler. It’s so deflating as an opposition to see Gardner bat at five or six.” She is the number two batter and the third-most-bowler in the world overall rankings.

South African Marizanne Kapp (56%)

Marizanne Kapp holds the ball aloft after taking five wickets against EnglandImages courtesy of Getty
Ffion Wynne, a writer for BBC Sport, said: “Kapp is probably someone you would pick based solely on aura. She enjoys the big occasion, and Wolvaardt throws the ball to Kapp almost always when England were in a good position in the semi-final.

Australia’s Annabel Sutherland (35%)

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Ffion Wynne, a writer for BBC Sport, said: “Sutherland’s knock against England was outstanding. Because it didn’t have a big target and gave her time to settle in and adjust to the strike, the situation almost helped her. The run-chase appeared to be so simple.

Alana King – Australia (84%)

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Ffion Wynne, a writer for BBC Sport, says that King “has a presence when she bowls.” Although we compare Shane to Warne, it’s the same theater that she creates, and it’s compelling to watch every game.

England’s Sophie Ecclestone (81%)

Sophie Ecclestone celebrates a wicketImages courtesy of Getty
Ecclestone is England’s partnership breaker, writes BBC Sport cricket writer Ffion Wynne. She appears in situations where teams, especially those that are in the bottom ranked teams, start to panic before she even bowls a ball.

“But she is irritated by Australia and India because they don’t fear her.” Both of those teams have plans to take on Ecclestone because Mandana played her so well. Teams occasionally agree to let her bowl ten overs for 40 runs.

Sree Charani (42%)

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Ffion Wynne, a writer for BBC Sport, described Charani’s year as a “breakthrough year.” India has a lot of options and has a lot of options, which is their strength in terms of batting. Although they don’t have many all-rounders, they always have the option of adding a bowler or batter.

South African Nonkulululeko Mlaba (34)

Nonkululeko Mlaba hugs a team-mateImages courtesy of Getty
Ffion Wynne, a cricket writer for BBC Sport, said: “I love a real number eleven in a team that is there to bowl and field. Nonkululeko Mlaba is exactly that, exactly.

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Sabalenka dominates but Gauff struggles on serve at WTA Finals

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At the WTA Finals, world no. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff both had opposing serving results.

In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sabalenka, the reigning US Open champion, defeated Italian Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-1.

The Belarusian, who won the year-end number one ranking earlier this week, outclassed the agile Paolini in 24 wins on top of 66% of first-served points.

However, Jessica Pegula, the other American, defeated French Open champion Gauff, who made 75 unforced errors and 17 double faults.

In Sunday’s second match of the Stefanie Graf Group, world number three Gauff suffered a 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2 defeat to fifth-ranked Pegula.

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Sabalenka is “getting better and better.”

Sabalenka won her 60th game of the year and her 12th against a top-10 opponent when she defeated world number eight Paolini.

She has been at the top of the world rankings for 63 weeks, including 55 consecutive weeks since October of last year.

Sabalenka has won the title five times in a row, but she hasn’t qualified for the year-end Finals. In 2022, she came in second behind Caroline Garcia.

Paolini, who is the only player competing in both singles and doubles, was absolutely fantastic against the 29-year-old.

Before Sabalenka started winning six games in a row to end the first set and take a 4-0 lead into the second, the pair traded breaks in the first set.

Paolini got on the board and let Sabalenka score, but Paolini didn’t really threaten until the next game when big first serves gave her the lead.

Gauff, the champion who misfires, defeats Pegula.

Coco Gauff reacts to a point during her match against Jessica Pegula Images courtesy of Getty

Throughout a sluggish contest, both Pegula and Gauff struggled to maintain consistency.

In a first set that started with five consecutive breaks of serve, Pegula, who finished second in 2023, settled more quickly, holding on for a 4-2 lead before breaking Gauff for a fourth time.

Gauff broke at the start of the second, but she was unable to finish the set at 5-4 when she was re-broken on a double fault, and again at 6-5 after hitting three more double faults in a row.

However, she did a fantastic job of resetting to force a decisive set from the tie-break.

After breaking Gauff for a 3-point lead, the players exchanged breaks of serve once more, but Pegula would not be denied.

In a 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) victory over Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider, third seeds Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand, won the doubles match.

After falling behind in the second set, Taylor Townsend and Katarina Siniakova defeated Luisa Stefani and Timea Babos 6-2, 3-6, 10-6.

Victoria Mboko, a 19-year-old Canadian, won the Hong Kong Open 7-5 6-7 (9-11) 6-2 to extend her remarkable year.

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Prankster charged over lining up with Australia team

BBC Man in green and yellow Australia rugby strip looks up over his shoulder at the big screen while at the end of the team's line-up for the national anthem.BBC

After appearing with the Australia team in a Saturday rugby league match against England, an online prankster was arrested by the police.

Daniel Jarvis was spotted on BBC One’s television coverage standing at the end of Australia’s lineup the day before the Everton game at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The 37-year-old, from Gravesend in Kent, was accused of disobeying a person who was engaged in a legal act, according to Merseyside Police.

The incident will likely be the subject of a internal review of the Rugby Football League.

The Everton new stadium, which opened earlier this year, had its first non-football game on Saturday.

Saracens beat London rivals Quins – PWR round-up

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After a blistering first-half start at home against London rival Harlequins, Saracens won 47-10 to officially launch their Premiership Women’s Rugby campaign.

In the opening 10 minutes, Sarries bounced back from a devastating defeat in their first game against Gloucester Hartpury, the PWR final opponent, with the help of Alysha Corrigan, Kelsey Clifford, and Jemma-Jo Linkins.

Ellie Kildunne, an England star, scored one of the team’s seven tries overall as Quins lost their first game of the season.

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Red Roses full-back Kildunne was making her 50th appearance for Quins, but Saracens was the one to start the game at StoneX Stadium.

When Katie Shillaker scored wide to put Quins on the board, Corrigan opened the scoring just after the second minute, when the visitors were already leading 19-0.

In the 28th minute, Poppy Cleall was sent off for the home team, but they then doubled their lead with Laets Royer’s debut try before the break.

At the start of the second half, Sydney Gregson scored Corrigan for her second try, but Louise McMillan and Amelia MacDougall added two late tries for Sarries while Kildunne scored for Quins for 33-10 with seven minutes left.

In Scott Lawson’s first game in charge of last season’s fourth-place finishers, Bristol Bears defeated Leicester Tigers to open their campaign with a 12-try victory.

At Mattioli Woods Welford Road, speedy winger Reneeq Bonner scored a hat-trick, with Millie David dominating with four impressive tries.

Evie Gallagher, Amy Dale, and Holly Phillips each received a try, along with Ella Lovibond, and there was also a couple.

The Bears’ only negative aspect was center Phoebe Miller’s injury, who had to be forced off midway through the first half to put on crutches.

After making her first appearance of the season at Loughbrough Lightning, World Cup winner Holly Aitchison was unable to lead Sale Sharks to a second victory in as many games.

Sadia Kabeya and Lilli Ives Campion, the home team, rallied from a dismal start to the season to record a 19-12 victory at Franklin’s Gardens.

Haineala Lutui touched down twice in the second half, while Tahlia Brody scored a try for Lightning on her debut.

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