Wareham leads the way as spinners join the dots

Georgia Wareham was the star turn in an outstanding performance from Australia's spin-bowling group in the first ODI against New Zealand on Saturday, and the leg-spinner believes she is only improving as these white-ball contests wear on.

Australia's seven-wicket thrashing of the White Ferns at Allan Border Field was set up by the slow-bowling trio of Wareham and left-arm orthodox spinners Jess Jonassen and Sophie Molineux, who strangled the visitors' scoring options with a procession of dot balls before the pressure told in the form of wickets.

In 29.1 overs between the three women, they took the combined figures of 6-80, collecting two wickets apiece while going at 2.75 runs per over.

Of the 175 deliveries they bowled, more than 70 per cent of them – 125 – were dot balls.

"We're always communicating throughout the day, and in the lead-up we have a lot of good conversations around our plans and how we're going to go about it," Wareham said of the spin-bowling group, which also includes off-spinners Ashleigh Gardner (who did not bowl today due to an injured finger) and squad member Molly Strano.

"It's a tight group and we work well together, and I think today was a really good example of how we can string a few overs together and build heaps of pressure.

"We built a lot of pressure early and that put them on the back foot from the start. We bowled in a lot of good areas which helped build that pressure and made it harder for them to score, and that's turned into wickets."

Wareham's 2-23 from 10 overs today built on the five wickets she collected in the final two T20Is, with the leggie bowling with impressive control while finding drift as well as turn.

Frighteningly, the Victorian is only 21, and with 45 international caps already to her name, she appears well placed to have a lengthy and extremely productive international career.

"Wolfie (Wareham) has looked really good," former Australia leg-spinner Kristen Beams told The Scoop podcast this week.

"She's looked consistent … (and) it looks like she's bowled a lot (during the six months between games).

"The wrong'un seems to be more consistent for her and that's a big weapon … the fact the ball can go the other way all of a sudden makes it really challenging for batters.

"With a four-out field (she's) really hard to score off so (she's) got that ability to take wickets while going at those low economy rates."

Three of Wareham's seven wickets across those three most recent matches have been bowled, while there has also been a stumping and a return catch. All have been the result of various deceptions – mainly in flight – as the leggie has settled into a pace and rhythm that has wreaked regular havoc.

Her victims have also been New Zealand's best: in three matches she has added the names Devine, Bates, Satterthwaite and Kerr to her CV.

"At the moment I'm just really trying to spin the ball," she said simply. "That's been a huge part of what I've been focusing on in the T20s and coming into the one-dayers, and just being a little bit more patient, and it came off for me today.

"I feel like today was probably the best I've bowled out of the last few games, but looking back as well I feel like the ball has been coming out well.

"I'm feeling confident with the ball and how it's coming out. It's really good to have those extra overs (in an ODI). In T20s you can be a little bit rushed, coming on for one-over spells, but the one-day stuff, it's easier to ease into it and get a bit of a rhythm going."

CommBank T20I and ODI series

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Belinda Vakarewa

New Zealand squad: Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Natalie Dodd, Deanna Doughty, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jensen, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Hannah Rowe, Amy Satterthwaite, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Watkin

All matches to be played at Brisbane's Allan Border Field

First T20: Australia won by 17 runs

Second T20: Australia won by eight wickets

Third T20: New Zealand won by five wickets

First ODI: Australia won by seven wickets

October 5: Second ODI, 10:10am AEST (11:10 AEDT)

October 7: Third ODI, 10:10am AEST (11:10 AEDT)

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