Teenage leg-spinner Georgia Wareham bags five as Australia warm-up for their one-day international series against Pakistan
Wily Wareham issues ominous warning
Australia leg-spinner Georgia Wareham has issued an ominous warning to Pakistan ahead of Thursday's opening one-day international in Kuala Lumpur, capturing five wickets in a warm-up match.
The Australian squad had just three days to adjust to the conditions in Malaysia after touching down on Sunday, with a hit-out on Tuesday against a local team their best opportunity to acclimatise to the foreign conditions.
Batting first, Ellyse Perry led Australia to 234 with a knock of 45, before Wareham's 5-19 from 7.4 overs rolled the locals for 145.
Wareham has just three T20Is under her belt after debuting against New Zealand late last month, but the 19-year-old now looks poised to add a maiden ODI cap to her CV in Thursday's series opener.
"It was really good getting back into one-day cricket and to get a few wickets under my belt was really good," Wareham reflected following Tuesday's match.
"We're really looking to build on the series against New Zealand, and getting back into the one-day stuff to put together a perfect game in all three aspects."
Wareham, who has collected two international wickets to date, said she was always looking to improve as she prepares to tackle Pakistan for the first time.
"The ball could be coming out better, it always can be. But I just need to back myself going forward," she said.
"I think for me it's about being really attacking with the ball and looking to really spin the ball and create chances."
The Aussies had a solid hit out on the park today against a local team in KL! Undisputed highlight: five wicket haul from Georgia Wareham! We take on Pakistan in the first ODI of the series on Thursday at 12:30pm (AEDT) 💪 pic.twitter.com/OX3UFjLsQI— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@SouthernStars) October 16, 2018
After completing a 3-0 T20I series whitewash at home over New Zealand in cool, spring weather, Australia are facing vastly different conditions in what's their first visit to Malaysia.
Adapting to the change in climate is crucial, but Wareham says she already likes what she's seen from the local pitches.
"It's really hot, really hot and humid, but the decks tend to be quite spin friendly," she noted.
The three-game ODI series is part of the ICC Women's ODI Championship – a four-yearly round-robin competition that determines the teams who automatically qualify for the next one-day World Cup – and Australia have a chance to draw clear on top of the table with a series win over Pakistan.
Those matches will be followed by three T20Is, which serve a chance for both teams to fine-tune before they head directly to the Caribbean for November's World T20.
Meg Lanning's squad will have one final training session on Wednesday, before the first ODI gets underway at 9.30am local time (12.30pm AEDT) on Thursday.
CommBank Tour of Malaysia
Australia ODI squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham
Australia T20 & World T20 squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen (subject to fitness), Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham
Pakistan ODI/T20 squad: Javeria Khan (c), Bibi Nahida, Ayesha Zafar, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Sidra Amin, Omaima Sohail, Nida Rashid, Sidra Nawaz, Sana Mir, Nashra Sundhu, Anum Amin, Natalia Parvaiz, Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Aiman Anwar
October 18: First ODI v Pakistan, Kinrara Academy Oval, Kuala Lumpur
October 20: Second ODI v Pakistan, Kinrara Academy Oval
October 22: Third ODI v Pakistan, Kinrara Academy Oval
October 25: First T20I v Pakistan, Kinrara Academy Oval
October 27: Second T20I v Pakistan, Kinrara Academy Oval
October 29: Third T20I v Pakistan, Kinrara Academy Oval
2018 ICC Women's World T20
November 9: Australia v Pakistan, Province Stadium, Guyana
November 11: Australia v Ireland, Province Stadium
November 13: Australia v New Zealand, Province Stadium
November 17: Australia v India, Province Stadium
November 22: Semi-finals, Sir Vivian Richards Ground, Antigua
November 24: Final, Sir Vivian Richards Ground