3 minute read
Australian skipper Meg Lanning has smashed an unbeaten 93 from 66 balls in Monday's Twenty20 match against a Cricket Australia XI in Sydney.
Australia stars Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry have ignited their preparations for the T20 World Cup with a winning 108-run partnership against Cricket Australia XI on Monday night.
Skipper Lanning smashed an unbeaten 93 to guide Australia to a huge score of 3-184 for a win by 98 runs in a fact-finding match at Sydney Showground.
The ground is a virtual unknown for most of the Australian team, and Monday's warm-up match served as the first step in preparation ahead of the World Cup opener at the venue against India on February 21.
CAXI managed modest figures of 9/86 against the first-class line up, with 18-year-old Hannah Darlington the topscorer with an unbeaten 39.
Lanning rediscovered form with the bat, smacking 11 fours in her 66-ball innings, forming an impressive partnership of 108 runs from 76 deliveries with Perry for the third wicket.
"It was nice to spend a bit of time out in the middle. I guess T20 gives you a little bit of freedom and clears your mind a little bit, so it helped me not having to over think it too much," Lanning said.
"For me to spend some time out in the centre was good and confidence booster."
Perry was dismissed for 65 off 39 balls, caught by Charli Knott off the final ball of the innings, the first wicket for 22-year-old Belinda Vakarewa.
With the ball, Perry took 1/3, while leg-spinner Georgia Wareham took 3/14 as the opposition top order crumbled.
Australia debutant 18-year-old Annabel Sutherland was thrown in to bat for CAXI, but was caught by Nicola Carey cheaply for the fourth wicket with just two runs.
She was later given the ball for Australia, taking her first wicket (Charli Knott, lbw) for the national team for a solid start to World Cup preparations.
"I thought she was striking the ball really nicely, she was unlucky to get out, she hit it well," Lanning said.
"Her bowling, she's pretty good when the ball gets a little bit older I think and can hit the deck and target those stumps. She's been doing that really well for Victoria and for the Stars.
"She looked comfortable, she didn't look overawed at all so it was nice to see her out there."
Nicola Carey (1/10), Sophie Molineux (1/9) and Megan Schutt (1/1) also chipped in with the ball.
In the first innings, Australia opener Alyssa Healy (1) lasted just four balls, hitting a full toss from Molly Strano straight to 16-year-old Darcie Brown at mid-off.
Fellow opener Beth Mooney was caught at mid-wicket for 16 by Knott off 19-year-old Sydney Thunder bowler Hannah Darlington.
Australia will now travel to Canberra to face India and England in a tri-series starting on Saturday at Manuka Oval.
