Unconvincing Australia set up tri-series final against India after victory over England at Junction Oval
After Australia’s much vaunted batting order struggled to impose themselves, Sophie Molineux and Tayla Vlaeminck were on the money to seal a victory over England to set up a tri-series final against India.
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The Australians turned the pressure dial up on themselves after a lacklustre Saturday effort at the Junction Oval and the result was telling.
Going in to a home World Cup with expectations at unprecedented level, Meg Lanning and her team bounced back on Sunday, defending a sub-par batting total against England to bolster faith in their ability to meet every challenge head on.
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The gap between the Aussies and India going in to the World Cup later this month is not as great as the bookies would suggest, with the home team odds-on favourites to win.
So Australia had to win the big moments, to show their mettle, and by restricting England to just 7-116, after getting to just 6-132 themselves, the Aussies lowest score batting first in over three years, they did.
Spinner Sophie Molineux, playing her first game on home soil, took 3-19, after her lone over went 14 against India the day before, said the whole team decided it was time to click in to serious mode.
“The last couple of games, we let the game go a bit, so to finish like that, we’re pretty happy with that,” she said.
“There’s a bit picture here and the World Cup is always in the back of your mind. But at the same time when you put the green and gold on you want to go out and win.
“To be able to come back like we did today, we are pretty pumped.
“Last night we sort of called this our semi-final, we needed to win, and we tricked that one off.
“There was a bit of pressure on this and it was really good to go through this experience and the more the better.”
The Aussies aren’t without issues however. Keep Alyssa Healy once again showed her prowess with the gloves, but she needs some runs.
So reliable opening the batting, Healy just 11 runs in four games against England and India, and has faced just 16 balls.
Healy gets a chance on Wednesday to find something, when the Aussies take on India in the tri-series final.
“We want to win this tri-series, and build some momentum going to the World Cup,” Molineux.
“That thought overnight of treating this like a semi-may have kicked us in to gear a bit. There was a point during our bowling innings where we showed a bit of grit.
“Little moments like that … was a massive step in the right direction for what we want to do.”
After Wednesday’s match the Aussies will head to Brisbane for two warm-up matches against the West Indies, before the World Cup, against India, on February 21.