Indore, Oct 22 (NationPress) Australia’s acting captain Tahlia McGrath commended the exceptional partnership of Ashleigh Gardner and Annabel Sutherland, who forged a remarkable 180-run collaboration leading to a six-wicket victory against England during the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup at the Holkar Stadium on Wednesday.

The impressive partnership saw Ashleigh, who scored an unbeaten 104 with 16 boundaries, and Annabel, who contributed an unbeaten 98 with nine fours and a six, rescue Australia from a challenging 68/4 to successfully chase down 245 runs with 57 balls remaining.

"I’m extremely pleased. Our spinners performed excellently. Although we had a rocky start with the bat, Bells and Ash were simply world-class. It was a joy to witness their performance. It was a flawless display, and I feel for Bells not reaching the century; she truly earned it," Tahlia stated after the match.

She further praised leg-spinner Alana King for her crucial role during the middle overs, recognizing her strategic advantage against England’s batting lineup. "I recognized her as a key player. She has an impressive record against England and matches up well against almost their entire batting order."

"At one point, I was considering having her bowl ten straight overs because she was in great form, but we opted to hold her back for the new batters. Nonetheless, she was outstanding today. She maintained her length consistently and found some turn," Tahlia added.

Praising Annabel’s all-around skills, Tahlia remarked, "She is incredibly talented, and it’s astonishing how young she still is. She’s one of our most dedicated trainers. Her preparation is thorough, and whenever we’re in a tough spot, you can always rely on Bells. She’s that exceptional."

When questioned about Alyssa Healy’s fitness leading up to their match against South Africa on October 25, Tahlia commented, "It’s a gradual process; I’ll leave that to the physio’s discretion."

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt acknowledged her team’s shortcomings with the bat, unable to cope with the pressure from Australia’s spinners. "We didn’t score enough runs. Alana King bowled exceptionally well in the middle overs and effectively restricted us, making it challenging to build partnerships. Tammy played well for her score," she noted.

She also mentioned the changing conditions under the lights and the crucial nature of the partnership between Annabel and Ashleigh. "As the lights came on, the conditions shifted slightly, although we bowled well at times. However, the partnership between Ash and Belsey drew the game away from us."

Reflecting on strategies to counter Alana’s effectiveness in future matches, Nat advised, "Being clear on the shots you want to play is essential. Playing off the back foot might be more advantageous. It’s about figuring out how to make her bowl the length that you can play off the back foot, whether by using your feet or employing little paddles. That’s something I’ll contemplate for myself."

When asked if England could still defeat Australia in an ODI match, Nat confidently replied, "Absolutely." England is set to face New Zealand in their final league match in Visakhapatnam on Sunday morning.

–IANS

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