Crystal ball: Expert predictions and everything you need to know about the 2022 Women’s World Cup
There is plenty of pressure on Australia’s shoulders entering the T20 World Cup. And our experts believe one superstar will be feeling it more than most.
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The first ball of Australia’s limited overs World Cup campaign will be sent down Saturday when the Aussies take on the old enemy.
After a stunning Ashes series where they did not lose a game, the Aussies are primed for a big World Cup in New Zealand.
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They’re the favourites and for good reason.
Can anyone knock them off? News Corp’s cricket experts give their predictions.
CRYSTAL BALL
LIZ WALSH
Who will win and why:
Australia. This tournament has been on Australia’s radar since the last World Cup back in 2017 when they lost in the semis to India. That loss was a pivotal moment for the green and gold: they picked themselves up, dusted themselves off and rebuilt the team around a fearless philosophy, which saw them set a new world record in ODI wins, winning 29 on the trot (broken by India in October last year).
They head into the World Cup as the ICC’s No. 1 ranked one-day team, with the world’s No. 1 ranked ODI bowler (Jess Jonassen), the world’s No. 1 ranked batter (Alyssa Healy) and the world’s No.1 ranked all-rounder (Ellyse Perry). This team also performs notoriously well in high-pressure large tournaments, and they have an 85 per cent win-rate across their 11 appearances in the 50-over World Cup.
Leading run scorer will be:
Sophie Devine. The Kiwi captain is primed for a big tournament on the back of the 442 runs she amassed for Perth Scorchers in the WBBL in November last year (coming third in the most-runs count to fellow Scorcher Beth Mooney, 547, and Adelaide Striker Katie Mack, 513).
Leading wicket taker will be:
Sophie Ecclestone. The 22-year-old English spinner is one of the best bowlers in the world and should enjoy the NZ conditions.
The Australian player under the most pressure is:
Alyssa Healy. The Aussie ‘keeper made a disappointing 98 runs from six innings in the recent Ashes series while opening the batting. That included a pair of ducks in the four-day Test, while her best performance with the bat came in the final ODI, where she made 42. Despite the relative slump, she’s still ranked the world’s best 50-over batter and after overcoming an elbow injury from late last year, she’ll be wanting to pick up her World Cup campaign where she left the Ashes off – in the runs.
Australia can’t win without:
Tahlia McGrath. The South Aussie has emerged from the cricket wilderness to stake a claim as the best all-rounder in the country. She’s won back-to-back Player of the Series accolades in both this year’s Ashes and 2021’s multi-format series against India. But what’s made her so critical to this team’s recent success has been her level-headedness – with both bat or ball – at critical moments in games when Australia had their backs to the wall. Case in point was her eye-watering 3-4 in the from three overs in the Ashes’ second ODI and then there was her unbeaten 91 (49 balls) in the opening Ashes T20, coming to the crease when Australia was 1-26.
Australia’s biggest threat is:
New Zealand. The Kiwis are the big threats and I predict them to be runners-up. They’re playing on home soil, haven’t had to deal with any hotel quarantine and have this week won their five-game ODI series against India, with comprehensive performances that included centuries to both a fit Suzie Bates and all-rounder Amelia Kerr. Meanwhile, their big-hitting captain Sophie Devine captained the Perth Scorches to WBBL glory late last year, so there’s a lot going right for this team.
RUSSELL GOULD
Who will win and why:
Australia. So much focus has been on this tournament for the Australian coaching staff as they put together a world-record winning streak which included blooding key youngsters like Darcie Brown and more recently Alanna King and taking no chances with injured players to ensure they would be peaking for the World Cup. As the number one ranked ODI team, still smarting from an unexpected and unflattering early exit in 2017, the Aussies want to be T20 and ODI world champs at the same time.
Leading run scorer will be:
Beth Mooney has been akin to an impenetrable force with the bat at all levels of cricket in recent times and even made a Test match 63 just 10 days after suffering a broken jaw, then 73 in the only ODI she played against England before injury ruled her out. She’ll have a different role in the World Cup than her normal opening role in T20 cricket but averages 44 in the ODI format and should get enough crease time to knock out some big numbers.
Leading wicket taker will be:
Megan Schutt missed a lot of cricket over the summer after the birth of her first child and then getting Covid-19. But few swing the ball as well as the Aussie quick who was held back to be ready for the World Cup and in New Zealand swing is king.
The Australian player under the most pressure is:
Tahlia McGrath. Not for any other reason than she goes to the World Cup as the most in-form player on the planet after back-to-back player of the series awards across the summer. She will be the main target of every single team and will be called by Australia to provide so much with bat and ball.
Australia can’t win without:
Meg Lanning. Hard to believe the Australian captain isn’t even 30 given the amount of cricket she has played, and that’s why she is so crucial. Her runs will come, but it’s that tactical experience garnered through so many games, combined with that drive after the disappointment of 2017, which make her Australia’s most important player
Australia’s biggest threat is:
India. It has to be them, given the Indians are the only team to beat Australia in an ODI since 2017, when the world record streak began. They could have beaten the Aussies more than once in the series late last year and despite losing the recent series to New Zealand in New Zealand, have had a crucial month to acclimatise to conditions.
BEN HORNE
Who will win?
Australia. Certified superstars win World Cups and Australia has so many of them. Under pressure in the big moments, Australia have the proven clutch performers who will come to the fore.
Leading run scorer:
Beth Mooney. Fresh from another outstanding home summer, Mooney will again set the platform for Australia at the top of the order.
Leading wicket taker:
Tahlia McGrath. The world beating all rounder took 3-4 against England in a recent Ashes ODI and is set for a massive tournament.
The Australian player under the most pressure:
Alyssa Healy. Had a poor Ashes with the bat and needs to rediscover her mojo. If she does, Healy can set the tone for Australia as she did in the 2020 T20 World Cup.
Australia can’t win without:
Ellyse Perry. Was dropped during the T20 component of the Ashes, but don’t knock a champion. World Cups are about proven heavyweights, and Perry is still the go-to when the Big Crunch moment arrives.
Australia’s biggest threat is:
New Zealand. Led by the brilliant Sophie Devine, the kiwis are a huge hope on home soil. The benefits of no quarantine for the hosts compared to their rivals may be seen at the pointy end of the tournament
ROBERT CRADDOCK
Who will win and why?
Australia because they are the most successful, professional, best paid and best prepared women’s team in the world. The rest of the world may narrow the gap eventually but Australia are always the team to beat.
Leading run-scorer:
Beth Mooney. She has been in strong form and the 50 over format will be perfect for her. It suits her tempo. Mooney’s big match temperament will also shine through.
Leading wicket-taker:
Jess Jonassen. She is the No.1 50-over bowler in the world and has been playing World Cup cricket for a decade and her left arm spinners are both economical and threatening.
Australian player under most pressure:
Meg Lanning. Captaining teams in the Covid era is testing in so many ways and she must lead the way not simply as a key batter but in making key selection and tactical moves in a competition which could prove tighter than what it appears on paper.
Australia cannot win without:
Alyssa Healy, leading the way at the top of the order. She may not have had a memorable summer with the bat but Healy is a proven big match player.
Australia’s biggest threat:
England. That may sound strange given they failed to win a match in Australia this summer but they have won two of the last three 50 over World Cups and a tough Australian summer has been known to prepare teams up for what follows just after them such as Sri Lanka’s famous win in the 1996 men’s World Cup which came on the back of a difficult Australia tour
ULTIMATE GUIDE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Where: New Zealand
When: March 4-April 3
Australia’s matches (all times AEST):
Saturday, March 5
v England
Seddon Park, Hamilton
12pm
Tuesday, March 8
v Pakistan
Bay Oval, Tauranga
12pm
Sunday, March 13
v New Zealand
Basin Reserve, Wellington
9am
Tuesday, March 15
v West Indies
Basin Reserve, Wellington
9am
Saturday, March 19
v India
Eden Park, Auckland
12pm
Tuesday, March 22
v South Africa
Basin Reserve, Wellington
9am
Friday, March 25
v Bangladesh
Basin Reserve, Wellington
9am
Finals schedule
Semi-final 1:
Wednesday, March 30
TBD v TBD
Basin Reserve, Wellington
9am
Semi-final 2:
Thursday, March 31
TBD v TBD
Hagley Oval, Christchurch
12pm
ICC Women’s World Cup Final:
Sunday, April 3
TBD v TBD
Hagley Oval, Christchurch
11am
Competing teams:
Australia (captain Meg Lanning)
Bangladesh (captain Nigar Sultana)
England (captain Heather Knight)
India (captain Mithali Raj)
New Zealand (captain Sophie Devine)
Pakistan (captain Bismah Maroof
South Africa (captain Sune Luus)
West Indies (captain Stafanie Taylor)
Aussie players to watch:
Beth Mooney
Opening batter, 28
She might have broken her jaw in a nets session during the Ashes Series earlier this year, but has shown fight and resilience to continue heading to the pitch. Was Player of the Tournament during 2020’s T20 World Cup, expect more batting fireworks.
Tahlia McGrath
All-rounder, 26
Heads into her first-ever World Cup appearance having stitched up Player of the Series accolades in back-to-back international outings against England and India. Batting and bowling with total freedom.
Ellyse Perry
All-rounder, 31
Despite patchy form in the T20 format, Perry thrives in the 50-over format, and is currently ranked the world’s No. 1 ODI all-rounder. Averages 50.09 with the bat and has a strike rate of 34.2 with the ball in the format. Offers guidance, level head and pace on the ground.
Darcie Brown
Fast bowler, 18
The teenage quick made her international debut only 12 months ago, but has risen in the stakes to becoming something of a secret weapon for Australia thanks to her excellent bouncer. Has best figures of 4/33 in the ODI format, from four appearances.
International players to watch:
Jhulan Goswami
India, fast bowler, 39
One of the most experienced women in cricket, Goswami has played 195 ODIs for India, taking a remarkable 245 wickets, at a strike rate of 38.9.
Laura Wolvaardt
South Africa, top order batter, 22
Her spectacular cover drive is one of the best in the business. In the ODI format she averages 44.32 with the bat (from 65 innings), with a strike rate of 65.95.
Amelia Kerr
New Zealand, all-rounder, 21
In this month’s five-game ODI series against India, Kerr was player of the series, scoring 353 from five innings, averaging 117. Her wrong’un continues to deceive many a batter.
Heather Knight
England, batter, 31
The English captain was the pick of her countrywomen during the 2022 Ashes Series. In the one-day format has a strike rate of 71.80 and has two international centuries to her name.
Hayley Matthews
West Indies, batting all-rounder, 23
Debuting for her country when aged only 16, Matthews has played 61 one-day internationals, scoring 1504 runs and taking 68 wickets in the format.
Venues:
There will be a total of six hosting venues with the final to be played at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval.
* Hagley Oval (Christchurch)
* Eden Park (Auckland)
* Bay Oval (Mount Maunganui)
* Seddon Park (Hamilton)
* Basin Reserve (Wellington)
* University Oval (Dunedin)
Odds (Sportsbet):
Aust: $2
NZ: $4.33
Eng: $4.50
India: $7
Sth Af: $15
WI: $67
Pak: $151
Bang: $501
Reigning champions: England
Reigning runners-up: India
Most ICC Women’s World Cup championships: Australia (six)
How to watch:
Foxtel will have a pop-up channel that will broadcast all games.
Kayo Sports will broadcast all games for free.
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Originally published as Crystal ball: Expert predictions and everything you need to know about the 2022 Women’s World Cup
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