Alyssa Healy says there’s no trigger for panic from Australia’s all-conquering cricket girls as they enter the defence of their T20 World Cup off the again of an historic reverse.
Key factors:
The match was not an official Twenty20 worldwide and Australia retired well-set batters to offer gamers time on the creaseIt was the Irish girls’s staff’s first win over Australia in 26 years of attemptingAlyssa Healy batted for Australia for the primary time since injuring her calf in India in December
Meg Lanning’s facet had been reminded of the problem of their quest for a worldwide T20 three-peat by the unprecedented defeat to unfancied Eire of their ultimate warm-up match in South Africa on Wednesday.
It might have solely been an unofficial match, with the Australians retiring well-set key batters like Healy and T20 participant of the 12 months Tahlia McGrath, whereas additionally utilizing seven bowlers — but it surely was nonetheless the primary time Australia’s all-conquering girls’s staff misplaced to the Irish, by three wickets at Stellenbosch College.
Vice-captain Healy, again in motion with a cracking half-century after solely holding wickets within the first warm-up towards India, did job taking part in down the importance so near Saturday’s event opener towards New Zealand.
Requested if right here was any have to panic, she insisted: “I do not suppose so — should you bear in mind again in New Zealand final 12 months [before Australia’s 50-over World Cup triumph] we bought completely pummelled by the Kiwis in a warm-up recreation — so nothing too worrying about that.
“We had some completely different choices at this time, tried some various things all through the innings and as soon as we get our full-strength XI on the park of their particular roles on Saturday, I’ve bought little doubt we’ll nail that.
“The group’s flying in the mean time so, no, nothing to fret about at this time.”
As a substitute, Healy was blissful to salute Eire’s girls, who’ve been attempting to beat Australia at cricket for 26 years and at last managed their maiden win on the twenty fourth try.
They chased down the Aussies’ formidable 5-168 with New Zealand-born Arlene Kelly proving the underdogs’ last-over hero as they battled to 7-169.
It was Kelly’s good-looking pushed six off McGrath with 5 balls left that actually did the harm, pushing Eire in the direction of the 9 they wanted off the ultimate six balls.
Nonetheless, Healy was eager to intensify the optimistic, not least along with her personal batting.
Again from the calf damage she suffered in India in December, she hit 62 off 40 balls and smiled that she was “soiled” about being retired to let others have a ultimate aggressive apply knock earlier than Australia’s tournament-opening conflict with New Zealand in Paarl on Sunday morning (AEDT).
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“I felt actually good on the market,” she mentioned.
“I’ve solely had about 4 batting classes earlier than I got here away, so I am happy I might get on the market, simply play the cricket pictures I wish to play and that is come collectively. Hopefully, I can put all of it collectively [against New Zealand].”
World primary T20 batter McGrath additionally made 56 off 47 earlier than she equally retired.
Ellyse Perry cashed in with an unbeaten 40 off 20 and although Beth Mooney had fallen for a golden duck, bowled by Orla Prendergast on the very first ball of the innings, Australia’s whole appeared to be comfortably sufficient.
However the Irish batters thrived with out anybody taking part in an explosive starring position, led by Laura Delany’s essential captain’s innings of 32 off 28 via the center overs.
With potential match-winning seamer Darcie Brown rested, Megan Schutt was Australia’s finest bowler, taking 2-16 off her 4 overs.
However the Irish win remained a well timed warning to the five-time champions.
“We simply bought rolled by Eire,” Healy mentioned.
“I am a believer that you do not defend a World Cup — everybody comes right here to win it.”
AAP
