After a composed win over New Zealand in Monday’s quasi quarter-final, questions now turn to whether the Aussies can cover the injury of star all-rounder Ellyse Perry ahead of Thursday’s semi-final.
Perry’s injury slightly took the gloss off what was a high-stakes, brilliant win. Despite claiming they were ‘enjoying’ the extra pressure on them as hosts and favourites, relief among the Aussie players was palpable post-game.
Player of the match Georgia Wareham (3/17 off 4) admitted the nerves were ‘very high’ before the White Ferns clash, while Megan Schutt (3/28) said her ‘heart was still racing’ in a post-game interview after the four-run win. Asked if she’d ever been under more pressure, she said ‘I don’t think so’.
The hamstring strain to Perry, though, is a significant factor in Australia’s bid for a fifth T20 World Cup title. While there was no confirmation on Monday evening whether she had been ruled out of the tournament, the fresh soft-tissue injury – in addition to the hip complaint that left her in doubt for the Monday’s game – renders her hopes unlikely.
Should that transpire, it leaves Australia approaching the knockout stages adopting a wholly different approach to what they went into this World Cup with.
So how do you replace the world’s number one ranked all-rounder, and the most experienced player T20 player in the world? Well, the injury to Perry and fellow quick Tayla Vlaeminck (ruled out on the eve of the tournament) has left coach Matthew Mott now relying heavily on spin.
While Perry’s batting at one-day and Test level is her key asset, in the shortest format (at international level) it is arguably now her bowling, especially given a recent slide down the batting order.
Captain Meg Lanning leans heavily on her with the ball and has, on average, bowled her 3.2 overs per game since the start of the tri-series a month ago.
She has also been the side’s most economical seamer this World Cup. With Vlaeminck out of the squad and Perry now seemingly following her onto the sidelines, the Aussies are left without an out-and-out quick.
Of course, Schutt remains the side’s number one seamer but for raw pace they are now thin on the ground.
But that might not be such a bad thing after all. This World Cup has seen wickets far more conducive to spin and off-pace deliveries than what we’re used to on these shores.
New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine touched on this after her side’s loss on Monday. “The pitch conditions certainly haven’t been what we expected when we first came over to Australia,” she said.
“As soon as we knew the World Cup was here, we thought we’d get nice, fast, bouncy wickets and probably haven’t had those…spin has played a massive part throughout the tournament and it will continue to do so moving into the finals series.”
Ellyse Perry might be out injured for some time. (AAP Image/Scott Barbour)
Wareham’s performance not only signalled that Australia’s depth is strong, but that Lanning and Mott should back spin to take them all the way. With Wareham, Jess Jonassen and the part-time spin of Ash Gardner, the Aussies have strong slow-bowling options. They could even opt for off-spinner Molly Strano to replace Perry in the semi-final XI, although that might prove too spin-heavy.
Whatever the case, the Aussies are peaking at just the right time – exactly as Lanning had hoped for pre-tournament. The skipper was back to her steely best on Monday, and when asked by Nasser Hussain in the post-match interview whether the win over New Zealand was a ‘statement’, she said indeed it had been.
“Today’s performance was our best of the tournament so far,” Lanning went on. “I don’t think we could be better placed for the semi-finals.” With or without Perry, their confidence has seemingly returned, and they’re exactly where they want to be.
SweatyProp
Roar Rookie
In the case of Allyse Perry what we have here is appalling team management. The player reportedly had a hip and lower back issues prior to the game and then suddenly does a hamstring - physiotherapy 101 FAIL. Team management has allowed the player to play when hamstring issues were a reasonably predictable outcomes. Forget the hindsight, this was poor decision making. AMATEUR Management of a great player. Not good enough.
JGK
Roar Guru
So the Nine papers are reporting that CA requested that the ICC have a reserve day on Friday but this was rejected as it wasn't agreed to before the tournament started. The cynical amongst us might suggest that it was rejected because India stand to benefit if it is a washout. India lost out in the 50 over World Cup when NZ beat them in the Semi-final held on the reserve day.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
That's what they said about the BBL final, but we still got a 12 over a side game in, and there was a lot more rain forecast that weekend. So anything is possible. The SCG curator has shown he's got the skills to get the SCG ready to play exceedingly quickly if there is any time where it's not raining.
JuBe
Guest
Perry went in to the NZ game injured. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but she should have been rested for that game to ensure she was available for finals.
Tom
Mooney only going 'ok' with 5 50's in her last 9 innings? Tough marker
Simoc
Guest
Sad to lose Perry but seems like she wasn't wanted in the team anyway. Poor captaincy from Lanning. Perry should have been opening with Mooney, then Lanning with Healy, Gardener and Heyns to come in according to the circumstances. We should win anyway but Lanning has flopped as a captain.
Jules
Roar Rookie
Exactly. Whoever scheduled a semi-final in Sydney in March without a reserve day probably deserves to lose the millions that Australia missing a chance at the final due to weather will cause.
JGK
Roar Guru
We could lose both games because it's a double header! Madness to put all your eggs in one basket like that.
Eden
Guest
Will be such a disappointment if we lose to the rain.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
No.
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
It is a big set-back for the Australians before the Semi-Final and Final against South Africa, England and even India.
JGK
Roar Guru
It's an ICC tournament so I assume they are.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Who is responsible for not scheduling a reserve day? Cricket Australia?
JGK
Roar Guru
Due to the madness of not scheduling a reserve day for the Semi Finals, it might all be moot anyway with it forecast to bucket down in Sydney for the next couple of days.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Perry will be there for the final. Guaranteed. However it will be Katy.
HR
Roar Rookie
I wonder whether the tactic of playing Perry as an insurance policy has also been about injury management? I remember Michael Clarke in commentary suggesting that she should be batting much further up the order because come the end of the tournament the team would benefit greatly from her having a bit of time out in the middle, but now it looks like the injuries may have been longer-term, and that the coaching staff may have been simultaneously trying to minimise her workload to just get her through the early matches, and give other players a go handling more responsibility in the event that she succumbed to an injury.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Losing Perry is certainly tough. She's an awesome player. But the way she's been used at the moment, she's almost more in the team as an insurance policy than a main pillar of their tactics. If everything falls apart at the top of the batting then hopefully Perry can step in and help right things. If the spinners don't run through the opposition at least Perry can keep the pressure on. But it's really been other batters they've been going to hoping to get those big scores, and other bowlers who've been getting the figures. So if they are able to get over her loss psychologically then I think they will be fine. It does mean that the other players just need to perform, because they don't have Perry as the insurance policy. In the Semi's and final, Healy and Lanning both need to step up and score good runs. Mooney has been going okay, but with Perry gone, those two become absolutely key one thinks. One other place it hurts them is potentially in the chance of getting more people to games. Like it or not, Perry is pretty much the face of women's cricket in Australia. She is by far the best known name, and a player that people want to turn up to see play. And it's quite possible that Perry being out could stop some people from turning up to watch.
BarnabusXI
Roar Rookie
Its never ideal to lose someone as standout as Perry. Especially an allrounder. But i think she can be covered reasonably well. Haynes goes up a spot in order with Burns to cover the 6th batting spot. It'll also require another change with Kimmince in for Sutherland. The team trusts Kimmince to bowl 3-4 overs but they don't seem to trust Sutherland just yet so i think she needs to make way. There is already plenty of lower order batting with Jonassen listed at 10 who could easily bat 6-7.