ICC Women's World Cup, North Sydney Oval, Sydney:
England 82-2 (23.1 overs) bt Pakistan 78 (39.5 overs) by eight wickets
Match scorecard
England completed the first round of the Women's World Cup with a 100% record after beating Pakistan by eight wickets at North Sydney Oval.
The star of the show was spin bowler Laura Marsh, who took 5-15 as Pakistan were bowled out for only 78.
In reply, England lost Sarah Taylor (11) and Ebony Rainford-Brent (18) but an unbeaten 32 by skipper Charlotte Edwards saw them home in 23.1 overs.
"I'm very pleased. It was a solid performance," said coach Mark Lane.
England next face New Zealand on Saturday in their opening match of the Super Six phase and it will be a far tougher test as the White Ferns also won all three games in their group.
"Games like this are what we have trained for," Lane added.
Pakistan chose to bat first after winning the toss and made a useful start as openers Nain Abidi, who was dropped at slip by Marsh, and Bismah Maroof put on 31 in eight overs.
But Marsh atoned for her earlier error by hanging onto a chance at square leg to send Maroof on her way for 13, with Katherine Brunt the successful bowler.
It was the introduction of spin, however, which sent the Pakistan innings into terminal decline with Marsh and left-armer Holly Colvin bowling in tandem.
Abidi went for 27 when she drove Marsh to Beth Morgan in the covers and no-one else managed to reach double figures.
Colvin sent down seven maidens in her full 10-over spell of 1-8, while Marsh removed Sajjida Shah and Sana Mir with successive deliveries on the way to her best one-day bowling figures before Edwards claimed two late wickets to finish with 2-2.
England made a shaky start in reply when Taylor was caught by Javeria Khan off Qanita Jalil in the fifth over.
But Rainford-Brent and Edwards saw the total past 50 before the former tried to loft spinner Mir over the leg-side and was bowled.
It was Pakistan's final success, however, as Edwards and Lydia Greenway saw their side to the modest target.
606: DEBATE"The team are doing really well and getting better and better. Hopefully we can continue improving against New Zealand, but they are a good side so we won't underestimate them," Marsh said afterwards.
Despite the defeat, Pakistan's place in the Super Sixes was also confirmed when India beat Sri Lanka by 35 runs in a low-scoring game at Bankstown Oval.
The 2005 finalists were grateful for Mithali Raj's unbeaten 75 as they mustered only 137-7 from their 50 overs.
Sri Lanka were bowled out for 102 in reply, with Amita Sharma claiming 3-19 and Rumeli Dhar and Gouher Sultana taking two wickets each.
New Zealand , meanwhile, produced a powerful performance with bat and ball as they overwhelmed South Africa by 199 runs at the Bradman Oval in Bowral.
After Amy Satterthwaite had made 73, Sarah McGlashan (88 not out off 76 balls) and Nicola Browne (51) shared an unbroken stand of 139 to see them to a score of 250-5.
Suzie Bates and Aimee Mason then picked up four wickets each as South Africa crumpled to 51 all out in just 22.1 overs.
Hosts Australia proved too strong for West Indies as they won by 47 runs at Drummoyne Oval.
Alex Blackwell (46 not out), Shelley Nitschke (45) and Jodie Fields (42) guided them to a score of 211-7 and it proved more than enough after West Indies slumped from 49-1 to 57-4 in the space of four overs.
Deandra Dottin enlivened the game with four sixes in her 51 off 54 balls but they came up well short on 164-7.
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