T20 turning point awaits

AUSTRALIA is looking to overturn its recent poor records in women’s T20 combat with New Zealand in the threematch series starting in Sydney today.

With the T20 World Cup in the West Indies less than two months away, this early-season series takes on great importance for Australian captain Meg Lanning. Australia has won just 15 of 35 T20 trans-Tasman T20 clashes, and has lost lost seven of the past nine.

“It’s something that we’re very keen to change and we’ve spoken about that a little bit, making sure we come out and make a bit of a statement in the first game,” Lanning said.

“They’ve got some world-class players and some new players in their squad as well, so it’s the perfect preparation for a big tournament like a World Cup.”

Prolific batter Lanning has also had her share of problems with the White Ferns on an individual level. She averages only 19 against New Zealand, and has recorded just three fifties in 20 innings.

The series opener at North Sydney Oval will be Lanning’s first international at home since February 2017, after shoulder surgery sidelined the 26-year-old for all of last season’s Ashes series.

“I’m really keen to get out there and just play with freedom and have some fun, I feel like I’m in pretty good form,” said Lanning, who scored 120 not out and 37 in last weekend’s opening round of the domestic limited-overs competition.

Lanning said she still had one decision to make over her final line-up for Game 1, but uncapped 19-year-old legspinner Georgia Wareham had a chance to debut.