T20 women will be ‘more fearless’
AUSTRALIA’S women’s cricketers say they’re finally living and breathing their own aggressive philosophies as they go about restocking their trophy cabinet at this month’s World Twenty20.
Guilty of relying too much on their talent in recent years, according to coach Matthew Mott, the Australians will take a new approach into the Caribbean tournament, after surrendering the title to the West Indies two years ago.
Widely regarded as the world’s best women’s team, Australia enters tomorrow’s opener against Pakistan with 16 straight wins across all formats but without either the one-day World Cup or T20 trophy in their hands.
But things have changed since last year’s ODI semifinal World Cup exit to India, as Australia aims to claim its fourth World T20 victory in the last five attempts.
“A couple of years ago we may have spoken about wanting to play more attacking and aggressive cricket whereas now we’ve actually been doing that,” quick bowler Megan Schutt said. “I just think we’re finally living and breathing the words we have been talking about in the media for a long time, we have the depth in our batting line-up to do that.”
Those changes include the dangerous Alyssa Healy moving to the top of the order, where she’s averaged 30.84 at a strike rate of 138.75 since the promotion.
She’s partnered by Beth Mooney, while Ashleigh Gardner is striking at above 150.00 this year at No.3.
Then the stroke making of Meg Lanning, Elyse Villani, Ellyse Perry and Rachael Haynes appears equipped to maintain the momentum.
“I think just the players themselves embraced the need to be a bit more adventurous and play a bit more fearlessly,” Mott said.
“Before we were probably relying on the fact we had a lot of depth and the most talented team and we weren’t playing the brand of cricket the new era demanded.
“But I think world cricket has evolved so if you’re not 100 per cent on you’re very vulnerable, particularly in the T20 format.”