Asked before their Women’s World Cup semi-final against India to reflect on Australia’s World Cup success four years ago, the vice-captain Alex Blackwell had to stop. It didn’t come to her immediately. Filing through her memory, it finally did. “That’s right,” she said. “We won against West Indies.” The veteran of 14 years and eight global tournaments explained the lapse: plenty has happened since. It sure has.
Since they lifted the trophy the leaps taken in the women’s game require stopping to catalogue, too. First and foremost: professionalism. When a new pay deal is eventually signed with Cricket Australia, women internationals will earn $200,000 within five years.
It has been mirrored elsewhere, from boards as wealthy as England’s and poor as Pakistan’s. Domestic T20 leagues showcasing the best talent on the planet have been run, won and broadcast. Now, at the end of the most successful World Cup ever, the last sides standing will play a sold-out Lord’s on Sunday – interest unheard of a generation ago. The final is at a ground with added currency for women: permitted as members belatedly and there as players rarely.
The hosts booked their place. In Derby, it’s Australia’s turn to live up to their end of the bargain and join the blockbuster final act. The former captain Belinda Clark kept her advice simple: “Win the semi.” For that, they need to overcome an India side who have blown hotter and colder than any so far. After being well beaten by Australia last Wednesday, they bounced back to thrash New Zealand on Saturday.
The good news for the favourites is they go in with Meg Lanning. Nursed through on account of a chronic shoulder injury, she has still scored 328 runs at a daunting average of 109. Despite limited preparation, her deputy sees no issues. “Meg Lanning doesn’t need to be hitting any more balls in the nets,” Blackwell said, drolly.
Australia’s run has lacked what their coach, Matthew Mott, has dubbed the perfect game. Finishing second in the table after losing a nail-biter to England, they bounced back. Not least through Ellyse Perry, who has five half-centuries on the spin. The world No1 all-rounder has collected 231 runs and 11 wickets in her past four starts against India. But they did lose all 10 wickets against South Africa in a scrappy affair. There’s room for improvement.
“We’re very confident we can bring out our best game when it really counts,” Blackwell said, citing their superior fitness. Still, she believes they have a “dangerous unit” to contend with in India, impressing especially when knocking off England in the World Cup opener. “We have a real contest on our hands.”
Blackwell also pointed to their opposition’s tweakers. To take care of that, she backed her out-of-form middle-order batsman Elyse Villani: “She is devastating against spin and I’m looking forward to seeing her take it to India.” An alternative selection option is for third seamer Sarah Aley to return on account of a flatter surface than the one they played on in Bristol. That is the pitch assessment of the India captain, Mithali Raj.
India’s No1, who in that previous encounter passed Charlotte Edwards as the highest one-day runscorer, said the prospect of Lord’s “tempts” her, but is far too experienced to get ahead of herself. Especially when in 43 ODIs between the nations they have lost 34.
That is not to say Raj does not seek positives. For one, a quirk of the draw has this fixture where India won four times in the pool stage with Australia yet to visit. But the bigger hurdle is for her side to perform when it matters most. Last week she was scathing in her public commentary; too long frustrated by carrying too much responsibility.
But just as their campaign looked ready to derail, they annihilated New Zealand. Raj’s century was essential but it was two of the players she has singled out going on to tally half-centuries – Harmanpreet Kaur and Veda Krishnamurthy – that gave the captain greater hope.
“The team responding to that challenge against New Zealand was heartwarming,” she said. “It can only give me the confidence to play with more freedom now knowing there are players who can turn things around.” Punam Raut’s ton against Australia last time around is not for nothing, either. “But against Australia, it’s important to be the best that we can,” Raj added. “To win against them requires us to give more.”
For Blackwell’s part, appearances at the pointy end of ICC tournaments are commonplace. She is a five-times winner. With the memorandum of understanding saga kicking on at home, she knows it would be “irresponsible” to focus anywhere but the here and now.
But also at home, they’re watching with a reported 300% spike in television audiences from that last World Cup no better indication. That is yet another reminder of what a big four years it has been, and an even bigger four weeks. Now for the hard part: finishing the job.
