3 minute read

Australian quick Tayla Vlaeminck will enter the T20 World Cup with confidence after impressing with her extra pace and bounce in the recent tri-series victory.

Watching rivals jump, duck and weave has fuelled Australian quick Tayla Vlaeminck's fire ahead of a hectic Twenty20 World Cup schedule.

Australia will play seven games between now and March 8 if they are to make the decider at the MCG.

After a knee injury lay-off to begin the year, Vlaeminck has emerged as the country's pace spearhead and was regularly clocking above 120km/h in the side's recent tri-series victory.

The 21-year-old hopes that speed, combined with sharp bounce and carry, can be a point of difference on Australian wickets over the next three weeks.

"I'm a competitive person, always trying to run in and bowl 100 per cent so if I can put a few girls on the back foot that's my job," she said.

"When I back myself and play without fear it helps me and think I'm doing that at the moment so I'll keep running in and trying to bowl as fast as I can."

This year's Betty Wilson Young Cricketer of the Year was in the stands at the MCG when Mitchell Starc bowled Brendon McCullum in the first over of the 2015 World Cup final.

She admits the thought of replicating that was impossible to ignore, having first realised her talent bowling to her brothers in the nets "once dad's shoulder got sore".

"As soon as you stepped off the plane (in Brisbane) it felt like everything ramped up a bit," she said.

"The anticipation, some extra people around ... I can't wait to get into it.

"To play in a World Cup full stop is pretty amazing, but to do it in front of family and friends is going to be an unreal experience."