Spinners Key as the Australia Eye World Cup Semifinals
Head coach Shelley Nietschke says Australia’s spin attack is likely to play a crucial role in the final group match of the T20 World Cup against South Africa in Gqeberha.
The defending champions are yet to reach the semi-finals and meet the hosts in the second game of Saturday’s doubles game. India will play against England in the first game.
Although Nitschke has hinted that a “new deck” could be used for the match between Australia and South Africa – a re-run of the 2020 T20 World Cup semifinals – the clash is unlikely to buck a prominent trend of the tournament.
“Most of the wickets that we had here have something for the spinners, sometimes they also have something for the sear,” said Nietscke on Friday.
“I expect it will take a turn as it’s been a consistent theme for the tournament, but it’s something we have to read pretty quickly and adapt to with both racquet and ball.”
Run-scoring, as Australia’s vice-captain Alyssa Healy said on Thursday after being voted player of the match against Sri Lanka, was not “easy and free-flowing” at Gqeberha.
Conditions have helped the spinners on the sluggish surfaces of St George’s Park in both games played at the venue so far, with Australia’s spin quota dangerous in their comfortable victories.
The title favorites used four spinners – two off spinners and as many legs spinners – in their seven-pronged attack against Sri Lanka. Finger spinner Grace Harris was the top pick with a 3-0-7-2.
Leg spinner Georgia Wareham, who starred in Australia’s first win in Gqeberha 3-20 against Bangladesh, was the second most effective spinner against Sri Lanka with her 4-0-20-1.
Nietschke praised the 23-year-old for contributing to Australia’s unbeaten run at the World Cup right after breaking into the eleven after spending nearly 16 months on the touchline due to a protracted recovery from an ACL injury.
“Georgia, getting back into the team and getting involved straight away was fantastic,” said Nietschke. “It was a long 12 to 14 months for them.
“It was fantastic for her to come back from a bad knee injury and how she managed to do that and keep pushing for a place and to go out there and make an impact straight away.”
Australia has a wealth of spin bowling options available. They dropped left-turning Jess Jonassen in favor of Wareham against Bangladesh and went unchanged against Sri Lanka.
Nietschke commented on Australia’s personnel selection for his spin attack, saying: “It’s just a matter of looking at our spinners and what role they will play within the group and how that fits into the encounters and the conditions. from what is presented to us.
“So we make sure we have a good balance there and get that right in every game.”
Wristspinner Alana King and offspinner Ashleigh Gardner are the other two spinners they have used in the tournament so far.
