Teen star says Hurricanes must put Grace under fire
TEENAGE Hurricanes sensation Ruth Johnston says her side has done its homework for the clash with league leader Brisbane Heat on Tuesday and there is one key takeout to win the match: stop Grace Harris.
Johnston said the Hurricanes were full of confidence going into the match but curtailing the influence of star allrounder Harris would be vital to their winning chances.
“I think if Grace Harris starts well and she stays in she can be very dangerous,” Johnston said.
“Everyone knows she can hit boundaries very easily and get on a roll, so we need to be on top of our bowling and fielding game and really adjust well to how the game unfolds.”
While Harris is the head of the snake for the Heat, the Queenslander said the northerners’ other batting powers would not be overlooked.
“We’ve had a good look at how they are as a team and we’ve seen it’s not just Grace that can pile on the runs but the Heat as a team get a lot of boundaries so we know what they can do, so it’s all about if we can stop it,” Johnston said.
“We know we’ll have to play our best cricket to restrict them but I’m very confident in our bowling attack and our fielding.”
The 18-year-old will be one of the Hurricanes tasked with limiting the Heat’s batting power and based on form she is well up to the task.
Participating in her first WBBL competition, Johnston has become a rising star of Australian cricket with performances and composure well beyond her years.
Despite having yet to make her mark with the bat, Johnston has been fantastic with the ball.
With figures of 4-16 off 32 deliveries, she said she was having a blast in her debut Big Bash competition.
“I’m absolutely loving it,’’ Johnston said.
“Every now and then you bowl the right length and it comes off and it’s been a bit like that lately, which has been really awesome, so hopefully that continues.”
While she has been thrilled with her work with the ball to this point in the competition, it was off the field that Johnston said she was enjoying herself just as much and she believed the camaraderie between her teammates would translate into on-field success.
“While it’s been great to bowl well, the best part has been meeting the great bunch of people,” she said.
“There are a few of us who are new to the team so we have that shared experience and we all get along really well and we think that close bond we are forming as a team is a real advantage on the field as well.
“I’ve seen so many of them on TV and things like that but to meet them and get to know them personally and outside of cricket has been great and hopefully we can achieve some success together.”
The tight-knit Hurricanes will clash with the Heat on Tuesday at 4.50pm at UTas Stadium.