Australia’s spearhead bowler Megan Schutt on surviving self-isolation and winning the T20 World Cup final
Megan Schutt on surviving self-isolation, being a part of the last major sporting event to have been played in Australia and her hopes for women’s sport after the coronavirus crisis is over.
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Megan Schutt should be on tour in South Africa. Instead the Australian spearhead is staying in her Adelaide home, doing her best not to go stir-crazy, having “panic bought” a coffee machine, a Dyson vacuum cleaner and a new pushbike.
The 27-year-old inswinger – who’s career-best figures of 4/18 were vital in her side’s thumping T20 World Cup win over India on March 8 – had been looking forward to taking on the Proteas because she’d never been to South Africa, but in the fight to prevent the further spread of coronavirus, Cricket Australia cancelled that tour a fortnight ago.
So, she’s ticking off all the things on her to-do list, including fixing the gutters, while being thankful that the Aussies were able to play their final in front of a record 86,174 people, mere days before the crowd lockouts, followed by all sport being halted.
“I think about how lucky we were … and the fact that our game was the last major sporting event, so it is still fresh in people’s minds,” she said.
But Schutt worries the future economic uncertainty across the entire industry could negatively impact women’s sport, which had been enjoying unprecedented global funding and coverage prior to COVID-19.
“For me, it’s really hit home now with my wife working at SACA and there’s been job cuts,” she said.
“Not the lockdown … that totally makes sense, but the financial hit this is going to take for so many clubs, I’ve seen SANFL and AFL clubs cutting 80 per cent of their staff.
“I’m worried that they’re not really going to be focusing on the women’s side and it’s at a really crucial time when women’s sport has snowballed and taken such a huge effect and had the spotlight.
“It couldn’t be worse timing.
“Obviously there are bigger things happening, people are dying, but I just hope that once things return to normal that women’s sport gets the spotlight that it was getting before this started.”
An “in- joke” in the Aussie team revolves around the size of Schutt’s biceps, which she claims are the best – and biggest – in the team which amuses everyone else.
Now, she’s forced out of the gym.
“I’m a bit afraid of that because I don’t want to lose my mantle, nah” she said with a laugh.
“They’re sending out little packs for us that have things like power bands and sliders in it to make sure we have the minimum essentials to do some at-home workouts.
“Our (strength and conditioning coach) has assured me they’re actually quite difficult and it’s going to feel like you’re doing a strength session at the gym.
“For me, personally, that’s going to be what I’ll miss most.
“I hate running anyway at the best of times, that for me doesn’t really change, but it’s more so missing the gym.”
This is where that new bike of hers will come in handy, too.