Carey keen to build on long awaited Cup debut

Nicola Carey has two World Cup medals in her possession but until Monday, had never played a World Cup game for her country.

Now, after finally making her debut at an ICC event – and claiming the key wicket that turned the match in Australia’s favour – Carey hopes she can continue to put her stamp on major moments in this tournament.

The allrounder broke into the Australian XI for Monday’s match against Sri Lanka at the WACA Ground and produced one of the turning points of the game when she had the hard-hitting Chamari Athapaththu caught on 50.

Then, when Carey came out to bat with Australia still needing 18 runs from 17 deliveries, she struck a handy boundary as her side edged to a crucial  but nervy victory with just three balls remaining against their lower-ranked opponents.                                                                                                                                  

"I know I was certainly a bit nervous on the sidelines waiting to go in to bat," Carey said as the team prepared to fly out to Canberra – via Adelaide – from Perth airport on Tuesday morning.

"We didn’t get off to an ideal start with the bat, I thought we bowled pretty well, it wasn’t the ideal chase but we came here for two points and we got there in the end, so we’ll take that.

"It’s been pretty well documented that we need to win all of our games from now on in the group stages to progress, so to get the first win on the board, the girls are pretty happy with that."

Monday’s game was a long time coming for Carey, who has been part of the Australian squad through three previous T20 World Cup campaigns without playing a match.

The first of those came in Sri Lanka in 2012 – when Australia took out the title – and the second in India in 2016, when they finished as runners-up to the West Indies.

Both times, her selection came at the misfortune of others – first, when she joined the touring party mid-tournament in 2012 after Sarah Coyte withdrew from the squad due to illness, while in 2016 she was a last-minute addition after allrounder Grace Harris was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis.

The 26-year-old finally broke through for her international debut in 2018 and was a first-choice selection for the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean the same year, however, she remained on the sidelines as the eventual winners made just one change to their XI through their campaign.

"I’ve spent plenty of time watching the games and I’m pretty good at mixing the drinks now, so it was really nice to get out there for my first World Cup game," Carey said.

"It was a pretty important game, so to get out there and contribute and get the win was really pleasing."

This World Cup is already shaping up as one of the most competitive yet, after the top two ranked teams Australia and England both dropped their opening matches.

Sri Lanka pushed New Zealand before almost claiming an historic win over Australia, and West Indies had a wobble against tournament fledglings Thailand.

"Every team is getting better and better each year," Carey noted.

"Sri Lanka have had two really close games, South Africa have gone from strength to strength.

"A lot of the girls in a lot of the teams are playing in our Big Bash, so they’re used to the conditions, they know the players really well and it’s really good for the game."

Meanwhile, the sight of superstar allrounder Ellyse Perry at Perth airport with her bowling shoulder strapped was a topic of much discussion among the media throng.

Perry, who in early January returned from a minor AC joint strain that ruled her out of the Sixers' final five matches of WBBL|05, got through her four overs against Sri Lanka on Monday apparently untroubled, and worked her way through a lengthy training stint on Sunday, all of which suggests the right-arm pacer's strapping was nothing more than precautionary – a sentiment that was affirmed by team management as well as pacer Nicola Carey.

"I haven't seen her miss a (training) session," Carey said. "She's been at every session, played every game and bowled really well and batted well when needed to, so I think she's OK."

Australia will face an unknown when they meet Bangladesh under lights at Manuka Oval on Thursday, having never played the ninth-ranked Tigresses in any format.

2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup

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

February 21:India won by 17 runs

February 24: Australia won by five wickets

February 27: Australia v Bangladesh, Manuka Oval 

March 2: Australia v New Zealand, Junction Oval

March 5: Semi-final 1 & Semi-final 2, SCG

March 8: Final, MCG

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE

* All matches will be broadcast on Fox Cricket and Kayo, while Australia’s matches will also be broadcast on the Nine Network