Women’s Ashes: Megan Schutt ‘very eager’ for Aussie return

Australia and England played out an intense Test match in the nation’s capital, but the home side is set for a big boost in the ODIs.

The Aussies will inject Megan Schutt into the attack for the ODIs. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

With the women’s Ashes hanging delicately in the balance, champion Aussie quick Megan Schutt is raring to be unleashed on the English and lock up the urn for Australia with two games in hand.

Ranked the third best WODI bowler in the world, Schutt was left out of the XI for the one-off Ashes Test at Manuka Oval so she would have more time to return to full fitness post-Covid.

The Test ended in a captivating draw and helped Australia to a 6-4 lead in the multi-format series.

The home side can retain the urn with a win in the first ODI in Canberra on Thursday and will claim a series victory by winning at least two of the three matches.

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Schutt is the fifth-highest wicket-taker in Aussie women’s ODI history and looms as one of Australia’s most devastating strike weapons in its quest to close out the Ashes early.

Aussie captain Meg Lanning said Schutt was as “keen as mustard” to be back in action.

“Megan will come back in, she’s very eager to get back into it,” Lanning confirmed on Wednesday.”

Megan Schutt is set to return and give the Aussies a huge boost. Picture: Phil Walter/Getty Images

Sources in the Australian team said last week that Schutt was underprepared for the Test match following her bout of Covid-19, but the woman herself told Seven she felt “fit to play”.

Despite the controversy around the selection call, Lanning said Australia stood by its decision to drop the veteran.

“She’s had a bit of an interesting lead-in with Covid and had not been able to train as much as she would have liked, so it was a smart decision in the end,” Lanning said.

“She’s keen as mustard to get back into it tomorrow.”

Schutt’s return is set to create a headache for Aussie selectors and Lanning conceded she was still unsure who would have to sit out of the ODIs.

“We’re still working on what the bowling line-up looks like,” Lanning said.

“We do still have until two o’clock tomorrow to wait and see how the fast bowlers physically pull up.”

Meg Lanning came agonisingly close to posting her first Test century in Canberra last week. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Lanning said the gripping final session of the Test match would serve as perfect preparation for the ODIs.

“It did turn into a bit of a one-day game,” Lanning said of the Test, which went down to the final ball on day four.

“It does go to show that when you put partnerships together, it’s pretty difficult to get wickets, so I guess that’s a bit of a sign for the ODI series.

“From a bowling perspective, we need to be able to take wickets and put them under pressure and then from a batting point of view, once you get in, you need to really make sure you’re making the most of it.”

The skipper said starting strongly was high on Australia’s list of priorities.

“They’ll come at us pretty hard and we’re going to do exactly the same thing,” she said.

“If we can settle into our work as quickly as we can, we feel like we can get some momentum and hopefully put them under pressure.

“We’re really comfortable with our ODI game at the moment. We feel like it’s in a good spot, but we need to make sure we bring our best to beat England.”

Originally published as Women’s Ashes: Megan Schutt ‘very eager’ for Aussie return