Australia are downplaying their standing as red-hot favourites on the Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand, with coach Matthew Mott saying they can’t count on to cruise to a seventh title.
Mott mentioned any complacency among the many Aussies was dispelled by a nine-wicket defeat in a warm-up match towards the host nation this week, describing it because the “good tonic” for his players.
“It was a little kick in the backside at the right time to just remind us that any team in this tournament on their day have got players that can stand up and hurt you,” he mentioned.
Australia additionally suffered a blow on the eve of the match Thursday when star all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner examined constructive for Covid-19, ruling her out of the staff’s first two matches.
While stung by the loss to New Zealand, who chased down an imposing goal of 322, the Australians can justifiably regard it as a blip somewhat than an indication their marketing campaign is in bother.
They nonetheless enter the twelfth version of the one-day worldwide match as six-time champions on a run of kind that features solely three losses for the reason that final World Cup in 2017.
This features a world-record 26-match profitable streak which solely resulted in September final yr and a current collection win within the Women’s Ashes over reigning World Cup champions England.
Mott mentioned his gamers had been properly rested after finishing 10 days of border isolation to enter New Zealand and so they had been eager to get into their match opener towards England on Sunday.
“We’ve intentionally gone in low key into this match -– we had a giant Ashes collection, then quarantine and we gave the gamers an opportunity to clean up,” he said.
“I think that’s going to just get us cherry ripe for March 5 and be able to hold that throughout the tournament.”
– ‘Even footing’ –
Captain Meg Lanning attributed Australia’s success to squad depth, mentioning how rising stars corresponding to Tahlia McGrath and Darcie Brown contributed to the Ashes victory alongside veterans Ellyse Perry and Alyssa Healy.
“The largest factor for us over the previous few years is that we haven’t relied on one or two gamers, we’ve had some actually good depth in our squad,” she said.
“You need a number of different players at times to step up and the depth we’ve got is something we’re going to need at this World Cup.”
Lanning predicted a high-scoring match, saying the Twenty20 format had inspired large hitters.
“Teams are keen to go a bit earlier and get to that 300 mark,” she said, adding that the Australians were “confident” of their aggressive recreation type.
However, shocks can occur within the sudden-death surroundings of match knockouts, as Australia found to their price when India beat them within the semi-finals of the 2017 World Cup.
“Every staff begins on zero wins, it’s an excellent footing — what’s occurred in the previous few years is irrelevant,” Lanning mentioned.
The Aussie skipper even made a cheeky bid to claim underdog status against England, who her team have not lost to since 2017.
“England are the reigning champions, they hold the cup, so we’re all chasing them,” she mentioned.
“We’re wanting ahead to the chance to return up towards them in that first recreation to attempt to construct up momentum all through the match.”
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