No alarms and no surprises despite rare defeat

Australia won’t panic despite stumbling to a rare defeat just weeks out from the start of their T20 World Cup campaign, opener Beth Mooney says.

The world No.1 Australians were bettered by England at Manuka Oval on Saturday in their first official hit-out in the lead-up to the ICC event, losing their opening game of the CommBank T20I Tri-Series in a Super Over thriller.

It was only their third defeat from their past 25 T20 Internationals and their second on the trot to England, having also lost the final 20-over match of the multi-format Ashes last July.

The Aussies don’t have to wait long to bounce back with a match against India, the only other team to have defeated them since the start of 2018, at the same venue on Sunday.

Their World Cup defence begins in less than three weeks, also against India, with the hosts heading in as defending champions as well as the world’s top-ranked team.

"You’d rather lose now than in six weeks’ time in a World Cup semi-final," Mooney said following Saturday’s game.

"The tri-series is here to test us and there’s no better test than playing two of the best countries in the world.

"(Going) to a Super Over tested our skills under pressure and how composed we’re going to be in that contest."

One bright spot on Saturday for Australia was the continued excellent form of Mooney, who didn’t look to have skipped a beat after averaging 74.3 in WBBL|04 as she hit 65 from 45 deliveries.

Eyebrows were raised when the Queensland left-hander wasn’t picked to bat in the Super Over – England skipper Heather Knight said she had expected to see Mooney in the one-over tiebreaker – as the Aussies instead opted for Alyssa Healy and Ash Gardner.

"I’m not sure," Mooney said when asked why she didn’t bat.

"We were in discussions before the umpires went out (but then) Ash and Midge went out.

"They’re two very good strikers of the ball … it didn’t come off today but I’d back in Midge and Ash to get 15 off an over on their day."

In a topsy-turvy affair, Australia were seemingly on the ropes at 7-117, still 40 runs shy of their target with three overs remaining, before teenage debutante Annabel Sutherland (22no from 11 balls) and Delissa Kimmince (15no from six) launched a stunning revival to send the game into a Super Over.

That came after the hosts squandered a superb start with the ball, with Knight (78) helping her team put on 115 runs from the last 10 overs to take them to 4-154.

"I think we let them get a few too many runs in the end," Mooney said.

"But on a Manuka wicket, the first half of our batting I thought we had it under control but then we lost a few wickets.

"Belsy (Sutherland) did a fantastic job on debut to get us back into a game we probably didn’t deserve to win so it was a bit disappointing we didn’t get over the line for her today."

Australia coach Matthew Mott had indicated there would be little experimentation at the start of the tri-series, but his team threw a curveball before a ball had even been bowled, handing an international debut to 18-year-old Sutherland.

Her two overs went for 23 runs, but the teenager – who had been widely praised for her maturity and composure even before her selection in Australia’s squad – performed admirably under pressure with the bat, almost stealing a win.

"It was really impressive, we just seem to churn out these teenagers who’ve got the skills from day one and just walk out like they’ve been here for years and Belsy’s no different," Mooney said.

"Under pressure, needing 11 or 12 an over and she just made it look so easy.

"I said to her, not many people look like that in their whole career and she’s done it in game one."

Batting alongside two members of Australia’s little called-upon lower order, Kimmince and Georgia Wareham, Sutherland finished as her team’s second-highest scorer, outshining top-order stars Alyssa Healy (9), Ashleigh Gardner (16), Meg Lanning (1), Ellyse Perry (18) and Rachael Haynes (0).

The form of vice-captain Haynes is one area of concern heading into the World Cup; she has struck just one domestic half-century in her past 16 innings, an uncharacteristic run from the 33-year-old, who had headed into the Rebel WBBL season in red-hot form after striking her maiden ODI ton against Sri Lanka last October.

Another more immediate concern for Australia is the fitness of captain Lanning, who did not take the field for the Super Over due to a back complaint.

It remains to be seen whether the hosts will risk their skipper in Sunday’s game against India given the short turnaround, but Lanning told the Seven Network her absence late on was a precautionary move.

"I think they’re just managing her loads a bit at the moment … we’re just trying to make sure everyone is in good nick coming into the World Cup," Mooney said.

CommBank T20I tri-series

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

First T20I: India beat England by five wickets

Second T20I: England beat Australia in Super Over

Third T20I: February 2, Australia v India, Manuka Oval

Fourth T20I: February 7, India v England, Junction Oval

Fifth T20I: February 8, Australia v India

Sixth T20I: February 9, Australia v England

Final: February 12, Junction Oval

* All matches will be broadcast on the Seven Network and Fox Cricket, live stream on Kayo and the CA Live app or listen on ABC Grandstand

2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup

Warm-ups

February 15: Australia v West Indies, Allan Border Field

February 18: Australia v South Africa, Karen Rolton Oval

Tournament

February 21:Australia v India, Sydney Showgrounds

February 24: Australia v Sri Lanka, WACA Ground

February 27: Australia v Bangladesh, Manuka Oval 

March 2: Australia v New Zealand, Junction Oval

March 5: Semi-final 1, SCG

March 5: Semi-final 2, SCG

March 8: Final, MCG

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE

* All matches will be broadcast on Fox Cricket and Kayo, while Australia’s matches will also be broadcast on the Nine Network