Head coach Shelley Nietschke says Australia’s spin assault is prone to play a decisive hand of their last T20 World Cup group-stage match in opposition to South Africa in Gqeberha.
A win away from sealing their spot in semi-finals, the defending champions tackle the hosts within the second recreation of Saturday’s double-header. India play England within the first recreation.
Though Nitschke hinted a “new deck” could be in use for the Australia-South Africa fixture – a rematch of their 2020 T20 World Cup semi-final – the face-off is unlikely to buck a standout pattern of the match.
“Most of the wickets that we have had here have provided something for the spinners, as they have something for the seamers at times, too,” Nietscke mentioned on Friday.
“I expect it to take some turn as has been a consistent theme for the tournament but it’s something that we’ll have to read pretty quickly and adapt to with both bat and ball.”
Run-scoring, as Australia vice-captain Alyssa Healy mentioned on Thursday after taking Player of the Match in opposition to Sri Lanka, has not been “easy and free-flowing” in Gqeberha.
Conditions have aided spinners on the sluggish St George’s Park surfaces in each matches performed on the venue up to now, with Australia’s spin contingent harmful of their comfy wins.
The title favourites deployed 4 spinners – two offspinners and as many legspinners – of their seven-pronged assault in opposition to Sri Lanka. Fingerspinner Grace Harris was the choose of them, returning 3-0-7-2.
Legspinner Georgia Wareham, who starred in Australia’s first win in Gqeberha with 3-20 in opposition to Bangladesh, was the second-most efficient spinner in opposition to Sri Lanka together with her 4-0-20-1.
Nietschke heaped reward on the 23-year-old for contributing to Australia’s undefeated run up to now within the World Cup proper after slotting into the XI, having spent almost 16 months on the sidelines by means of an ACL injury-induced protracted restoration.
“Georgia, making her way back into the team and contributing straight away, has been fantastic,” Nietschke mentioned. “For her it’s been a long sort of 12 to 14 months.
“For her getting back from a critical knee harm and the way she’s managed that and saved pushing for a spot has been improbable, and to go on the market and have affect right away.”
Australia have a plethora of spin-bowling options at their disposal. They left out left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen in favour of Wareham against Bangladesh and went in unchanged against Sri Lanka.
Weighing in on Australia’s choice of personnel for their spin attack, Nietschke said: “It’s only a matter of taking a look at our spinners and what position they’re going to play throughout the group and the way that form of suits to the match-ups and the circumstances, of what we’re introduced with.
“So making sure we get a good balance there and get that right every game.”
Wristspinner Alana King and offspinner Ashleigh Gardner are the opposite two spinners they’ve used within the match up to now.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
