AUSTRALIANS CRUISNG BUT ALARM RINGS FOR LANNING
Adam Collins records an effortless victory for the defending champions but reveals there are worries
Good news story of the day was the debut of Sarah Aley, 33, who became the oldest woman to make Australia debut since 1973
Australia’s flawless World Cup defence may have continued apace with a 159-run hammering of Pakistan, defending 290 with ease. But that they had to do it without skipper Meg Lanning – withdrawn from the fixture due to what Cricket Australia described as a “chronic” shoulder ailment – is far more relevant to whether they can top the pops again.
Her absence looked pertinent to the immediate task at hand when Australia fell to 7-2, Pakistan’s bowling staff again showing again they are capable of causing early concerns for anyone. But sure enough, the cavalry came. Ellyse Perry, elevated to three, tallied yet another half-century, her cautious 66 complemented by a powerful 59 from 40 balls from player of the match Elyse Villani once the foundation had been laid. Alyssa Healy finished the job with a brisk unbeaten 63 during happy hour.
With more than enough runs to overwhelm Pakistan, Australia’s bowlers went to work, the underdogs soon left playing for pride. Their power play period of 18-2 was as poor as the world champions’, but their batting list is limited as it is inexperienced.
Spinners Kristen Beams and Ashleigh Gardner both struck three times, while left-arm orthodox Jess Jonnasen claimed the remarkable figures for 1-12 from her ten overs – remarkable for the six maidens she stitched together along the way.
The good news story of the day was the debut of Sarah Aley. The 33-year-old seamer became the oldest woman to make her bow for Australia since the first ODI in 1973. When she claimed a wicket with her second ball (on the way to tidy figures of 2-29) she was swamped by all ten teammates.
Aley is the product of the modern women’s game: through professionalism, able to extend her career beyond when women had usually played when remuneration barely existed.
Her immediate strike was emblematic of the Midas touch displayed by Rachael Haynes, her own story confounding expectations. Having spent four years out of this side, the 30year-old made the World Cup squad as
the reserve batsman. But with Lanning sidelined, she was not only brought into the XI but given the captain’s armband, too. The decision demanded a double-take, for her promotion came ahead of champion vice-captain Alex Blackwell. But she can point to 28 timely runs after the side’s early wobble before being unluckily given caught behind, then four instances where her bowling changes brought wickets within an over.
As for Pakistan? Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Their fielding was dreadful; two catches shelled by keeper Sidra Nawaz inside the opening hour of the contest. Later, when presented with another chance to penetrate the Australian middle-order, Villani downed before she started sweeping at will, clocking an Australian-record equaling four sixes along the way. There were others as the innings wore on, but there the damage was done. Not just for the added runs but the deflating effect as the innings got away from the women in green.
Their captain, Sana Mir, lamented this after the game, just as much as she did the limp batting effort. They were familiar words. Too often she has been left trying to bat time well after the result was a foregone conclusion.
After three wickets of her own, she laboured to 45 from 85 balls as the match limped to the finish line, bowled two balls from the end trying to fashion a route to a half-century.
It wasn’t to be. As it wasn’t for Pakistan, who have shown signs of being competitive in three of their four games but are now mathematically out of finals contention. The opposite is true for Australia with four wins from four.
But their biggest tests yet have now arrived, taking on England this Sunday then also-undefeated India next Wednesday. But whether that’s with or without Lanning? This is the question that will keep them up at night. And understandably so.
If they lose the best player on the planet, it will radically alter the complexion of this World Cup.