Spinners key as Australia eye World Cup semis

Head coach Shelley Nitschke says Australia's spin attack is likely to play a decisive hand in their final T20 World Cup group-stage match against South Africa in Gqeberha.

A win away from sealing their spot in semi-finals, the defending champions take on the hosts in the second game of Saturday's double-header. India play England in the first game.

Though Nitschke hinted a new pitch might be in use for the Australia-South Africa fixture – a rematch of their 2020 T20 World Cup semi-final – the face-off is unlikely to buck a standout trend of the tournament.

"Most of the wickets that we have had here have provided something for the spinners, as they have something for the seamers at times, too," Nitschke said on Friday.

"I expect it to take some turn as has been a consistent theme for the tournament but it's something that we'll have to read pretty quickly and adapt to with both bat and ball."

Run-scoring, as Australia vice-captain Alyssa Healy said on Thursday after taking Player of the Match honours against Sri Lanka, has not been "easy and free-flowing" in Gqeberha.

Conditions have aided spinners on the sluggish St George's Park surfaces in both matches played at the venue so far, with Australia's spin contingent dangerous in their comfortable wins.

The title favourites deployed four spinners – two off-spinners and as many leg-spinners – in their seven-pronged attack against Sri Lanka. Off-spinner Grace Harris was the pick of them, returning 2-7 from three overs.

Leg-spinner Georgia Wareham, who starred in Australia's first win in Gqeberha with 3-20 against Bangladesh, was the second-most effective spinner against Sri Lanka with her 1-20.

Nitschke heaped praise on the 23-year-old for contributing to Australia's undefeated run so far in the World Cup right after slotting into the XI, having spent nearly 16 months on the sidelines as she recovered from an ACL injury.

"Georgia, making her way back into the team and contributing straight away, has been fantastic," Nitschke said. "For her it's been a long 12 to 14 months.

"For her coming back from a serious knee injury and how she's managed that and kept pushing for a spot has been fantastic, and to go out there and have impact straight away."

Australia have a plethora of spin-bowling options at their disposal. They left out left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen in favour of Wareham against Bangladesh and went in unchanged against Sri Lanka.

Weighing in on Australia's choice of personnel for their spin attack, Nitschke said: "It's just a matter of looking at our spinners and what role they'll play within the group and how that fits to the matchups and the conditions of what we're presented with.

"So making sure we get a good balance there and get that right every game."

Leg-spinner Alana King and off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner are the other two tweakers Australia have used in the tournament so far.

ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Alyssa Healy (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

Australia's T20 World Cup 2023 fixtures

Feb 11: beat New Zealand by 97 runs

Feb 14: beat Bangladesh by eight wickets

Feb 16: beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets

Feb 18: v South Africa, St George's Park, Gqeberha, 7pm local (4am Feb 19 AEDT)

Semi-finals

Feb 23: Newlands, Cape Town, 3pm local (12am Feb 24 AEDT)

Feb 24: Newlands, Cape Town, 3pm local (12am Feb 25 AEDT)

Final

Feb 26: Newlands, Cape Town, 3pm local (12am Feb 27 AEDT)