Dominant Australia looks strong for title defence
Southern Stars, now to be formally known as Australia Women, is the defending champion entering the 2017 Women’s World Cup in England. Safe to say, the six-time World Cup winner is considered by many to be the tournament favourite.
The women from down under topped the ICC Women’s Championship with 18 wins in 21 matches. Meg Lanning, the captain, led the run-scorers’ charts with 1232 runs while Jess Jonassen, the left-arm spinner, led the wicket-takers’ chart with 31.
It has a well-settled and balanced squad dominant in all three departments. Having a talented batter in Lanning, who leads with confidence, only encourages the other players to lift their performances. As consistent as Lanning is Ellyse Perry, who had nine fifties in 14 innings last year.
The main pacers, Megan Schutt and Perry, struggled with injuries last year, but both appear to have come back hungry for more and keen to ensure on favourable conditions that the quicks are back to being the side’s strength. Two debutants, Belinda Vakarewa and Sarah Aley, offer the side additional pace options.
RECENT FORM:
Australia’s last competitive series was the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, during which it won 2-1 following a five-wicket win in the third ODI. Lanning scored her tenth ODI century, surpassing Charlotte Edwards for the record and Australia maintained their 18-year dominance over the Rose Bowl title. The team prepared for the competition with a long camp at home, during which the players also interacted with members of past champion teams.
PREVIOUS WORLD CUPS:
Australia has featured in all the World Cups so far and has won the title six times (1977, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005 and 2013). The 2013 triumph was secured on the back of a solid partnership between Jess Cameron and Rachael Haynes, but it was Perry’s 3 for 19 that broke the West Indies top order and handed Australia its sixth title in Mumbai.
STAR PLAYER:
It’s hard to pick from a team of champions, but for her ability to dominate with both bat and ball, Perry is Australia’s game changer. Given her powerful hitting and knack of taking wickets with her medium-pace, Perry is one of the best all-rounders in the women’s game. Her batting has got stronger in recent times. She averages 47.47, and although she doesn’t have an ODI hundred against her name, she has had 17 of her 18 career 50s since the last World Cup.
SQUAD:
Meg Lanning (capt), Sarah Aley, Kristen Beams, Alex Blackwell, Nicole Bolton, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Belinda Vakarewa, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington.
FIXTURES:
June 26: Australia Women v West Indies Women in Taunton
June 29: Sri Lanka Women v Australia Women in Bristol
July 2: Australia Women v New Zealand Women in Bristol
July 5: Pakistan Women v Australia Women in Leicester
July 9: England Women v Australia Women in Bristol
July 12: Australia Women v India Women in Bristol
July 15: South Africa Women v Australia Women in Taunton
