Australia loses World Cup warm-up match to Ireland

There’s no panic in the Australian World Cup camp despite a shock loss to Ireland.

Tahlia McGrath retired after making a half-century.

The scoreline suggests it was a T20 World Cup wake-up call for Australia who were beaten by minnows Ireland in a warm-up match just days out from their tournament opener against New Zealand.

But there’s no panic from the defending champs, who didn’t lose a single T20 in all of 2022 and used the outing as pure practice, with batting retirements and rested bowlers and one eye firmly on the main event.

Vice-captain Alyssa Healy, who showed no lingering effects of the calf injury that sidelined her for a month, was one of two batters to retire after she clubbed 62 off 40 balls in her final tune-up.

The world’s No.1 T20 batter, Tahlia McGrath, was another to take herself off after making a 47-ball half-century.

It was a true practice match in every sense for the Australians and Healy was adamant that losing, as Ireland chased down the Aussies’ 5-168 in the final over, would have no impact on their confidence.,

The vice-captain said the Australians were “flying” as they look to make it three T20 World Cup titles in a row.

“If you remember back in New Zealand (at last year‘s ODI World Cup), we got absolutely pummelled by the Kiwis in a warm-up game, so nothing too stressful about that,” Healy said after the match.

“We had some different options, trying some different things throughout the innings and once we get our full strength XI on the park in their specific roles, I’ve got no doubt we’ll nail that.

Ellyse Perry in full cry.

“It was a really good hit out. I’m not going to take anything away from Ireland, I thought they batted really brilliantly to get over the line there.

“But the group‘s flying at the moment, so nothing to worry about, I think we just turn up Saturday and make sure we’re all present and play well.”

Star opener Beth Mooney was bowled on the first ball of the game and Healy conceded there were a few areas for the defending champs to “clean up” before they take on New Zealand on Saturday.

“I think Ireland batted beautifully, but (this game has) just given us a good look at what everyone can do and hopefully we can now just move on,” she said.

“We pride ourselves on our fielding and I thought we did that beautifully against India and we let ourselves down a little bit today.

“There’s a few areas for us to clean up, but I thought we got a bit out of today, which is great,” she said.

Originally published as Australia loses World Cup warm-up match to Ireland