Quantcast

Stars show allrounders' importance

A host of multi-talented cricketers among Australia's women

There has been much talk recently around the Australian men’s set-up about the need for a ‘genuine allrounder’. People are pondering, will Shane Watson provide those skills or will the young gun Mitch Marsh secure that spot for this summer?

I believe they could both play in the team. The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars have regularly had an abundance of allrounders within the team and they have been the dominant women’s team for some time.

So what is the definition of an allrounder? The traditional meaning is a versatile person. From a cricket perspective, it is a player who can contribute both with bat and ball. A player who could be selected for either skill and hold their spot. I would like to go one step further by saying the definition should also include wicketkeepers who have the ability to be selected purely as a batter.

The advantage in having an allrounder within your side is that it allows selectors more flexibility in choosing their XI. Depending on who the opposition is, the conditions of the wicket and the format of the game, the team may need to load up on batters or bowlers.

Players to have famously fulfilled the role are Richard Hadlee, Jacques Kallis, Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff, and I would argue Adam Gilchrist acted as the Australian allrounder when the Aussies dominated world cricket.

Looking back at the Southern Stars, allrounders have featured heavily in the success of the team. Even with the Belinda Clark Medal, allrounders have dominated, winning 10 out of a possible 13 times.

Names such as Karen Rolton and Shelley Nitschke are synonymous with the award, having won it four times apiece.

The performances in the Southern Stars’ series against the West Indies so far have been dominated by the next wave of Southern Stars allrounders.

When previewing the series I mentioned the fact that the Southern Stars have a number of players capable of being classed as allrounders, but that opportunities would be limited given the high-level performances of some key players.

Jess Jonassen has been the standout player so far, picking up two out of the three Player-of-the-Match awards.

Since the ICC World T20 in Bangladesh in March-April this year, Jonassen has unlocked the secrets to perform at an international level consistently.

First it was with the ball. As a left-arm orthodox bowler who takes the ball away from right-handers, she began to be the preferred option for captain Meg Lanning at the World T20 within the first six overs.

Not only was she miserly with the runs she conceded, she also had the knack of picking up a couple of key wickets as well.

Yet her best was still to come when she was promoted up the batting order in the final against England.

Jonassen inflicted the most effective means of psychological damage, hitting Danielle Hazell for six from her first delivery. The shot set the tone for the match, with the Southern Stars cruising to victory to win their third consecutive World T20 title.

Since, and when fit (she missed the last three T20s against Pakistan due to a quad strain), Jonassen has opened the batting and bowling for the Southern Stars in the shorter format.

Performances so far this series have included 46 and 47, while she also registered her best figures of 2-12 off her four overs in the second T20.

This form has also allowed the Southern Stars to field three spinners including, importantly, a leg-spinner in Kristen Beams.

The first two matches of this series has seen the Southern Stars outperform their rivals, but the third encounter against the West Indies at the MCG was a different matter, with Australia winning with one ball to spare.

The West Indies posted a competitive total of 6-149, thanks largely to their own allrounder, Stafanie Taylor, who made 78 off 58 deliveries.

Image Id: ~/media/C02864691BA54545A0B81DDE9859947E

Alyssa Healy was superb both with the bat and behind the stumps against West Indies on Friday // Getty Images

But yet again it was another Aussie allrounder who stepped up to save the day in exciting fashion.

Alyssa Healy has been in scintillating form behind the stumps, affecting seven dismissals in the series so far.

Healy has given a clinic behind the stumps with some seriously impressive glove work on display. However, having got the opportunity with the bat at the MCG, Healy had the maturity and presence of mind to keep her nerve as she hit 25 not out off 12 deliveries to secure the Southern Stars third victory, and in the process, reinforcing the importance of the allrounder in the contemporary game.