GROS ISLET, Saint Lucia (AFP) — Sara McGlashan saw New Zealand into the final of the women’s World Twenty20 against arch-rivals Australia as her superb innings of 84 set up a 56-run over the West Indies here yesterday.

McGlashan’s innings was the cornerstone of the White Ferns’ 180 for five, the highest total of this tournament so far.

In reply, the West Indies chaseed gamely but were held to 124 for eight.

Now New Zealand, last year’s losing finalists against England at Lord’s will face Australia — a side they’ve beaten six times in a row — in tomorrow’s final at Barbados’s Kensington Oval.

The destiny of the match was far from certain when New Zealand were 49 for two but a strand of 93 at nearly 11 an over between McGlashan and Sophie Devine took the game away from the home side.

McGlashan, whose brother Peter has played for the New Zealand men’s team, faced just 55 balls with two superb straight sixes and six fours.

The hosts rang the changes with their bowlers but it made little difference and it seemed McGlashan might join West Indies’ Deandra Dottin in scoring a century at this tournament until she was run out by Shakera Selman’s direct hit from short third man.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND

S Bates c King b Selman 7

*A Watkins c King b Mohammed 20

S McGlashan run out 84

S Devine c King b Selman 24

N Browne not out 15

+R Price run out 7

Extras (lb4, w15, nb1) 20

TOTAL (5 wkts; 20 overs) 180

Did not bat: A Satterthwaite, E Perry, L Doolan, E Bermingham, K Broadmore.

Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-49, 3-142, 4-153, 5-180.

Bowling: Selman 4-0-27-2, Lavine 2-0-18-0, Taylor 2-0-11-0, Daley 3-0-27-0, Mohammed 3-0-26-1, Campbelle 2-0-20-0, Dottin 1-0-19-0, King 3-0-28-0.

WEST INDIES

S Taylor run out 41

P Lavine c wkpr Priest b Watkins 7

C Jack c McGlashan b Browne 18

D Dottin c wkpr Priest b Browne 1

S Daley c Browne b Watkins 15

B Cooper c Satterthwaite b Doolan 14

S King c Browne b Watkins 4

*M Aguilleira st Priest b Doolan 1

+S Campbelle not out 8

A Mohammed not out 4

Extras (lb1, w9) 10

TOTAL (8 wkts; 20 overs) 124

Did not bat: S Selman.

Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-64, 3-71, 4-76, 5-94, 6-100, 7-104, 8-114.

Bowling: Watkins 4-0-26-3, Bermingham 3-0-28-0, Broadmore 1-0-11-0, Devine 3-0-12-0, Browne 4-1-20-2, Doolan 4-0-20-2, Bates 1-0-6-0.

Result: New Zealand won by 56 runs.

Position: New Zealand qualify for the final.

Player-of-the-Match: Sara McGlashan.

Toss: West Indies.

Umpires: Asoka DaSilva, Rod Tucker.