Women’s T20 World Cup: SCG curator confident rain won’t put dampener on semifinals

After the SCG proved itself to be one of the best draining grounds in the world when the BBL final was under serious threat, curator Adam Lewis is confident of game time today in the two World Women’s T20 semifinals.

7/2/20: SCG Curator, Adam Lewis looks out at a wet SCG which is supposed to host the Big Bash but will be washed out. John Feder/The Australian

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SCG officials are confident lessons from the Big Bash Final will help them get a game on in both women’s Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals on Thursday.

Rain is forecast in Sydney for the double-header, with between 10 and 20ml predicted to fall around the SCG on Thursday.

If the matches are washed out, Australia and England will be knocked out with South Africa and India to progress.

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SCG ground staff were kept super busy on the day of the Big Bash final.

But SCG curator Adam Lewis said a largely dry week in Sydney meant there would not be any issues with the ground once the rain let up.

“We have had a really clear week this week, we knew that the rain was coming so we have prepped this one a little early,” Lewis said.

“We are really happy with the wicket itself and the surroundings. The outfield has come up really well.”

The SCG proved itself to be one of the best draining grounds in the world last month when a 12-over game was able to be played for the BBL final, after record deluges.

A minimum of 10 overs per side must be bowled to constitute a match in each of the semi-finals between India and England as well as Australia and South Africa.

Meanwhile, Australia are hoping Georgia Wareham’s penchant for performing in big games will prove crucial.

Georgia Wareham took 3-17 against the Kiwis.

Wareham will come into the SCG clash as Australia’s only wrist spinner, in a tournament where leggies have routinely proved the most dangerous. But the 20-year-old has already shown she is well adept at handling the pressure.

After being overlooked for the first three games of the tournament, she claimed 3-17 in Australia’s must-win clash against New Zealand on Monday.

Her wickets came at vital times in the Silver Ferns’ faltering chase, as she took the biggest scalps of Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Maddy Green. It also follows her last performance in a World Cup, where she had 2-11 from three overs to help set up Australia’s victory in the 2018 final against England.

“To come in and get three really big wickets for us in a big game is a testament to her character and how calm she is under pressure,” captain Meg Lanning said.

“Leg spin plays a really big role iin T20 cricket, especially with so many right-handers, the ball spinning away from the bat makes a really big difference.

“We saw that the other day with two stumpings beating the outside edge.”

Dane Van Niekerk (centre) has taken key wickets for South Africa.

Australia are one of the few teams who haven’t played a legspinner for the majority of the tournament.

India’s Poonam Yadav wreaked havoc on the opening night against the hosts, while fellow semi-finalists England have Sarah Glenn and South Africa possesses Dane van Niekerk.

But Lanning insisted there hadn’t been anything Wareham needed to change in her game before coming into the business end of the tournament cold.

“We’re really honest with our communication to players around selections. It just came down to match ups and conditions,” Lanning said.

“It wasn’t that she was bowling badly, it was just that we went with a different team.

“We said through the whole tournament we would decide our final XI on who we are playing and the conditions.”

Originally published as Women’s T20 World Cup: SCG curator confident rain won’t put dampener on semifinals