World T20: Lanning says Aussies can handle the heat

Meg Lanning says Australia’s comeback against Sri Lanka is proof they can handle the big moments.

Australia, captained by Meg Lanning,have made a shaky start to the World T20 tournament. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Australian captain Meg Lanning welcomes the scrutiny on her cricket side in the T20 World Cup and says the comeback against Sri Lanka in the last game is proof they can handle the big moments.

Questions have circled Australia since they dropped their first game against India and then collapsed to be 3-10 in the chase during the following game against Sri Lanka.

Lanning and Rachael Haynes dug the side out of that hole and the skipper says it was confirmation of the team’s confidence in itself.

“In the past — and you saw the other night — this group has embraced the pressure and played well in big moments and leading into the World Cup we knew there was going to be pressure, that’s what happens in big tournaments so we were expecting that,” the captain said.

“There’s no doubt there’s pressure around. There’s pressure on everyone and obviously when you don’t get off to an ideal start that gets talked about a bit, but I think it was great to grind out a win the other night and hopefully that gives us a little bit of momentum leading into the back end. Every game is a must win and this game is no different for us.”

Australia play Bangladesh in Canberra on Thursday night at Manuka and face New Zealand at Junction Oval in Melbourne next Monday to complete the group round of the tournament.

The tournament is banking on the locals making it to the final at the MCG on March 8 and that has put unprecedented pressure on the team. Organisers are hoping to sell out the stadium on what would be International Women’s Day, but know they need the locals in the final to achieve that goal.

Lanning says the side has not discussed the final, adding that every team wants to be there but there is a lot of “water to go under the bridge” before then.

The captain says she welcomes the scrutiny on the team.

“I think it just shows where the game is at and the interest and that people want us to do well,” Lanning said. “It’s a great thing, obviously you would much prefer to be playing excellent cricket and have everything go your way, but the reality is that doesn’t happen in World Cups and you have to fight your way through different periods and hopefully we’ve started to do that and play a little bit better in the next couple of games.”

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The Australians defended the tactic of changing the batting order to ensure there was a right and left-hander at the wicket at any time despite Ellyse Perry sitting out all but the last two batting overs of the game against Sri Lanka.

“The top six batters could all open the batting really and it genuinely comes down to the match-ups on the day and the game situations and what we think will work best,” Lanning said. “We’ve gone with left hand/right hand combinations a little bit and that’s what we did the other night with Nic Carey coming in when Rachael Haynes got out,” she said.

“Ellyse is a world-class player and no doubt she will get her chance, but we’ve got to be really flexible and do whatever the team needs.”

Lanning dismissed speculation about Perry carrying a shoulder injury, saying she had not missed a training session or a game, but all-rounder Sophie Molineux will have to prove her fitness if she is a chance to play her first game of the tournament.

“She’s coming along well, she’ll train today and then we’ll assess how she pulls up from that and see if she’s available for selection tomorrow night,” Lanning said. “It’s a wait-and-see, it’s been very frustrating for her and for us to not have her available, but she’s doing everything she can to get back.”

Molineux injured a thigh earlier in the month.

The captain dismissed suggestions that Alyssa Healy was out of form. The openers scored a half century in the first match but a duck in the second renewed concerns about her poor form in the lead-up to the tournament.

“She’s been a very good player for a long time and has played well in big games and we were just waiting for her to click back into gear,” Lanning said. “In a World Cup you want your most experienced players doing well and I have no doubt she’ll do that.”

Meanwhile Heather Knight po­sted her maiden T20 international ton with England bouncing back to thrash Thailand by 98 runs and collect their first World Cup win.

England were in trouble early after losing the toss and then both openers for ducks, before Knight dismantled the Thai bowling attack with a record-setting knock.

Her 108 not out off 66 balls and Natalie Sciver’s unbeaten 59 off 52 made for the highest partnership (169) at a women’s T20 World Cup.