The three-match T20 series against Ireland presents the perfect warm-up for the final Women's Ashes leg, says Erin Osborne
Stars look to Emerald Isle for Ashes edge
With the final leg of the Women’s Ashes set to begin in four days, the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars have been gaining crucial match practice on the opposite side of the Irish Sea.
After a convincing win in their one-off Test against England, a three-match Twenty20 series against Ireland is helping Australia make the switch back to the shortest form of the game, ahead of their first T20 against England on August 26.
Quick single: Stars secure record-breaking win in Dublin
The Southern Stars need just one win from the three 20-over matches against England to reclaim the Women’s Ashes, but the World Champions are not taking anything for granted.
“No training can ever replicate a match, so this has been a really good lead-up to the final three T20s against England,” spinner Erin Osborne said.
Today's win means we now hold the record for the most consecutive wins in women’s T20 internationals, with 15*
— Southern Stars (@SouthernStars) August 21, 2015
It is a tactic that paid off in spades for the Stars in their Ashes Test, as they romped to a 161-run victory after fine-tuning with two multi-day practice matches against the ECB Academy.
Osborne said the warm-up matches against Ireland were providing a particularly good challenge for the Southern Stars’ top-order.
While Meg Lanning – the world’s top-ranked T20 batter - led the scoring at No.3 in the first T20 with 43, she was removed for 12 in the second match by the bowling of 15-year-old Lucy O’Reilly – a right-arm medium pacer who made her international debut at just 13 years old.
Watch: Lucy O'Reilly, 15, dismisses world No.1 batter Meg Lanning
“Ireland’s energy in the field and their bowling unit has been very good,” Osborne said.
“It’s been quite challenging, they’ve been able to get early wickets against us and slow our scoring rate, so it’s been quite a challenge for our top-order batters.”
Osborne said she was also pleased with how the Stars’ bowlers had performed in the two T20 matches against Ireland – including Friday’s 55-run win – to date.
“(Bowling partnerships) are crucial in all formats of cricket. If someone is bowling well at the other end and creating pressure, it’s generally the other bowler who picks up wickets.
“I think every bowler did their job today.”
Osborne, who collected 2-10 overnight, said she was particularly impressed at the way Queensland allrounder Grace Harris had slotted into the team after making her international debut in the first T20.
Well done to Grace Harris for two wickets on debut! Read about our win against Ireland HERE: http://t.co/wBNbx91jmp pic.twitter.com/Ey8XKPFrPN
— Southern Stars (@SouthernStars) August 20, 2015
Harris was a late addition to the squad, receiving a call-up after Delissa Kimmince was ruled out of the T20 series with a lower back injury.
She did not make it off the mark in the first match, dismissed for a second-ball duck, but came out swinging late in Australia’s innings overnight, blasting 19 off 7 to lift Australia to 6-131.
It followed her impressive bowling performance on debut, which saw her claim 2-15 with her medium pace.
”I think Grace did exceptionally well with both bat and ball,” Osborne said.
“In a tricky situation where she needed to come in and find boundaries, she did that really well and gave us a competitive score.
“It was nice to get some wickets myself, but I think that was on back of very good bowling from Grace and Ellyse Perry.”
The Southern Stars will play their third and final T20 against Ireland today (Saturday) at 9pm AEST, before returning to England for the three-match T20 series.