Faz-inating dilemma
A BACK stress fracture that forced emerging Tasmanian star Erin Fazackerley to concentrate on her batting this preseason has thrown up an unexpected problem for the Hobart Hurricanes.
A BACK stress fracture which forced emerging Tasmanian star Erin Fazackerley to concentrate on her batting this pre-season has thrown up an unexpected problem for the Hobart Hurricanes.
Fazackerley, who in her young career to date has made her name more as a bowling all-rounder, is only just returning to bowling at 100 per cent on a modified program after spending the winter recovering from injury.
Her time off with the ball led to increased work with the willow, and when West Indian Hayley Matthews was ruled out with a fractured toe in the WBBL opener on Saturday Fazackerley was elevated to opener. She made the most of her opportunity at the top of the order, cracking four boundaries and three sixes in a whirlwind 16-ball 38 to now pose a dilemma for coach Salliann Briggs with Hobart’s three international guns set to return this weekend.
England captain Heather Knight and Indian Smriti Mandhana will be on hand for the pair of matches against the Melbourne Stars in Burnie, and with Briggs declaring the imports will occupy spots in the top four of the batting order, the coach has to decide whether to keep Fazackerley or regular opener Stefanie Daffara in the mix.
“With ‘Hayles’ not playing usually her and Stef would open the batting, I think my game suits the powerplay with the field up, I like to bat aggressively and I do hit quite aerially often,” said Fazackerley, who only found out on the morning she would open against Perth. “That was the plan, to be aggressive in the powerplay and make the most of only having those two fielders out.
“I have been working really hard on my batting in the off season but I haven’t had the chance to open before, that was a bit of a surprise.
“Definitely this season with the stress fracture in my back I had more opportunity to bat and put more of a focus on that. I am happy to bat wherever they want me to in the order, I think we have quite a lot of strong batters so it can be flexible there.”
Despite the heroics of Fazackerley — who took 2-13 against England for the Governor-General’s XI last year — the Hurricanes went down to the Scorchers by six wickets.
The loss has not dented confidence within the group, who believe a quick rebound is on the cards. “Obviously we are disappointed with the loss, we were in a good position in that game but there are plenty of positives and we have learned a lot,” Fazackerley said.