Omission against Pakistan fuelled Brown's blitz

Darcie Brown has revealed how she used her omission from Australia's second World Cup match to make the adjustments that helped her tear through New Zealand in Wellington on Sunday.

Brown was left on the sidelines for the match against Pakistan last week as Australia favoured a spin-heavy line-up, but the teenager bowled superbly with the stiff southerly breeze at her back in her return against the Kiwis, taking 3-22 including the key wickets of Amelia Kerr and Suzie Bates.

It was a marked improvement on the tearaway's return of 0-40 from six overs against England in Australia's tournament opener in Hamilton, with teammate Ashleigh Gardner describing Sunday's performance as the best she's seen from Brown.

"During that Pakistan match, I had a bit of a trundle with Ben Sawyer, our bowling coach, and he helped me with a few tips and cues for trying to go a bit fuller and swing it more," Brown said in Wellington on Monday.

"That was really helpful and put me in good stead for that New Zealand match ... it was good to be able to get on the board in this World Cup.

"I was very happy being able to bowl with (the wind) – it was pretty hard work bowling into it from what I've heard."

Brown made her international debut in both formats during Australia's tour of New Zealand a year ago, but her opportunities to bowl in the local conditions were limited to a single over (which went for six runs) in the one ODI she played, and four overs that went for 26 runs in her only T20I.

Just twelve months later, the right-armer has been tasked with a leading role in Australia's attack in the absence of injured speedster Tayla Vlaeminck.

During the Ashes, Brown said she was gaining a better grasp on when and how to use her shorter ball, noting she had bowled "short pies" earlier in the summer against India.

Now, the quick is also learning how to better deploy her pace.

"I think if I try too hard to bowl fast it goes a bit wayward," she said. "I might drop it a bit short or get a bit lazy and bowl down leg.

"It was good to get some rhythm and I felt quite smooth going through my action (against New Zealand).

"I felt like I was in pretty good control with the ball. I don't (always) feel like that.

"It was probably up there with (the best) I've felt with control and rhythm and pace, so it was good to do that against a good side like New Zealand."

Brown's development in the space of just 12 months did not go unnoticed by her opponents, either.

"I recall (last year) she bowled some short stuff, she's obviously got some place," NZ assistant coach Jacob Oram said on Sunday.

"Today I was very, very impressed. She's got good pace and swings the ball, but the thing that stuck out for me today was her line and length.

"It's one thing to swing the ball, but if you’re swinging it to seventh or eighth stump with width and batters can just throw their hands and carve it away over point or cover, then it's no use to anyone.

"But today she just hovered just outside off, and if you've got a little bit of shape away then you bring the keeper and the slips into play, which is what we saw with Amelia’s dismissal."

It is likely Brown will continue to be carefully managed through the round robin stage of the World Cup, with Australia to play four more matches across the next 11 days before the semi-finals begin on March 30.

While she's made significant gains on the field, the country kid from Kapunda in South Australia remains refreshingly honest off it, particularly when it comes to assessing her own bowling.

"I think that first over I bowled (on ODI debut) last year was pretty woeful," she said.

"But it's good to (now) be able contribute and match up to some of the best players in the world.

"There's still a fair few balls that are pretty shocking, but we'll keep working on that and just keep trying my best and having a smile on my face ... I'm looking forward to the rest of the games."

Brown has also expanded her horizons away from the game; a lover of chicken schnitzel, she has been tempted by poultry of a different kind in Wellington, although she conceded she "thought Nando's was a noodle place, originally".

And while she had credited state captain Megan Schutt for taking her under her wing since her arrival in the Australian set-up, she could not help but add a dig at the 28-year-old, who took the field in an international for the 150th time on Sunday.

"She's getting old - so I keep telling her anyway," Brown laughed.

"I'm super proud of her ... she's been pretty important to me over my cricketing career so far.

"To be able to come over here to this World Cup with her and her wife (Jess) and their child (Rylee) and to hang out with them is pretty cool. I feel like one of the family."

ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington. Travelling reserves: Heather Graham, Georgia Redmayne

Australia's World Cup 2022 fixtures

Mar 5: Beat England by 12 runs

Mar 8: Beat Pakistan by seven wickets

Mar 13: Beat New Zealand by 141 runs

Mar 15: v West Indies, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

Mar 19: v India, Eden Park, Auckland, 12pm AEDT

Mar 22: v South Africa, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

Mar 25: v Bangladesh, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL WORLD CUP SCHEDULE

Semi-finals

Mar 30: Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

Mar 31: Hagley Park Christchurch, 12pm AEDT

Final

Apr 3: Hagley Park Christchurch, 11am AEDT

All matches to be broadcast in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports