Energised Schutt set to turn up heat on favourite foe

20 Oct 2025 Laura Jolly, in Visakhapatnam

Australia's new-ball swing specialist has plenty in the tank to tackle England, intent on filling whatever role is required

A steady supply of electrolytes and pickle juice are keeping Megan Schutt on track at the ODI World Cup, as she turns her gaze to the looming showdown with Australia's oldest rival.

After missing Australia's tournament opener against New Zealand, Schutt has taken the new ball in each of the three matches since, picking up four wickets and maintaining an economy rate of 4.51.

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While her omission from the game against the White Ferns surprised many onlookers, Schutt said she had taken the selection call in her stride – and was taking nothing for granted given the depth of Australia's bowling stocks.

"I'm just trying to do my job, to be honest – I had a pretty good feeling what was going to happen with the XI in the first game, so I take no offense to (being left out)," Schutt said in Indore on Monday evening.

"It's all about the balance of the side ... unsure what the XI is going to be for the next game and if I'm picked to play, that's great, but whatever I do, I'll try and do it well."

Given England's struggles against in-swing in their scare against Pakistan, Schutt could be set to play a leading role when the Ashes foes meet in a top-of-the-table showdown in Indore on Wednesday.

If so, the South Australian said she was expecting to come up against an England XI with a spring in their step following their gritty four-run win over India.

"There hasn't been a whole lot of swing around, so hopefully the ball's moving, hopefully I'm in the XI. (England are) a team that we play a lot of cricket against and they play me pretty well, so it'll be a good battle," Schutt said.

"(They're) playing a different brand of cricket, they seem really happy and up and about, so I think that will make for a cracking contest, to be honest."

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Despite her economical returns in her three appearances this tournament, Schutt has only bowled 16.1 of a possible 30 overs returning to Australia's XI.

Against Pakistan in Colombo, she took 2-25 from five overs in a game where Australia bowled out their rivals before the 37th over.

Against India in Vizag, Schutt took 1-37 but was forced from the field one ball into her seventh over due to cramp, while in the Bangladesh match she was miserly in her opening spell of 5-1-11-1, but was not called upon again through the reminder of the innings.

"To be honest, me with the heat at the moment, few little cramps going on … maybe (it was) some secret workload management that they knew I wouldn't be happy with, so didn't tell me about it," Schutt joked, when asked about her reduced loads against Bangladesh.

"I was thinking I might come back on at some point, but Alana King had them on a string, so there was no need to come back in there.

"Whatever role I can play, I'll try and play well and however many overs, I'll take them."

The heat and humidity has gotten the better of several Australians since their arrival in India, with Ellyse Perry notably retiring hurt twice in separate games due to cramp.

"I've been living on pickle juice and electrolytes," Schutt continued. "Challenging is one word (for the conditions) ... we're all hydrating and do all the right things, but cramp is just something that kicks your ego a little bit, and there's nothing you can do about it and that's probably the most frustrating part.

"But we all knew that was going to be the case, and we've all come in here really strong, really fit, and all you can really do, is hopefully execute in the conditions."

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Both Australia and England have already cemented their places in the semi-finals, and while the allocation of semi-finals depends on where India finish on the table, should they qualify, Wednesday's game is nonetheless a chance to build momentum and confidence ahead of the knockout matches.

"Securing top spot is obviously what we're aiming for and England are hot on our tails, and we've got two big games coming up against two big sides," Schutt said.

"I think it'll just be a really good contest for us to knuckle down on the little things that we've been working on.

"We've seen with washouts and weather coming into play that finishing top spot would be the go ... I don't really have a preference of where we play (in semi-finals) … just winning the next two games is our priority and see what happens next."

2025 Women's ODI World Cup

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham