McGrath hints at weaknesses – but huge task still before English
AUSTRALIAN batting sensation Tahlia McGrath has given England’s bowlers a tempting insight into how they might get her out in the second T20 of the Women’s Ashes at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
The all-rounder smashed an unbeaten – and matchwinning – 91 (off 49 balls) in the first Ashes T20 on Thursday night, but said her game certainly had its weaknesses.
“I’m susceptible to full tosses and then short and out wide I’m rubbish at, I can’t believe I just said that out loud, but they’re my weaknesses,” McGrath said.
The 26-year-old South Australian has relished her return to the national side following a four-year absence from the green and gold.
Since making her T20 international debut in October last year, she has played four T20Is for Australia, batted in three of those matches and been unbeaten in each, putting in innings of 42, 44, 91 not out.
This means she is yet to give herself an official batting average (but mathematically, it’s 59). The Aussie batting line-up required an unwelcome reshuffle after opener Beth Mooney fractured her jaw in training, which resulted in captain Meg Lanning being promoted to opener, and then McGrath joined her at the crease at No.3 when Alyssa Healy was caught for 7 (9) in the fourth over.
McGrath described her 91no (off 49 balls, with 13 fours and one six) in Australia’s nine-wicket win as “a lot of fun”.
“There was a lot of talk about who was going to open … I had no idea where I was going to bat and in (Wednesday’s) team meeting I saw my name listed at three and had to double-check and wasn’t sure whether that was legit or not,” she said.
“But we’ve got so much confidence in this side that no matter who bats at the top of the order we know they’re going to do the job.”
English opener, and former Adelaide Striker, Tammy Beaumont said her side would need to pay special attention to McGrath heading into the second match.
“I know T-Mac from playing at the Strikers and I said to her that’s one of the best innings I’ve ever seen,” Beaumont said. “I think she’s quite a hard batter to bowl at.”