McGrath heroics vindicate Australia's bold Perry call

All the talk at the toss of the coin for Thursday's Ashes opener was about the omission of one legendary allrounder, but by the time the winning runs had been scored, attention had turned to the emergence of a new all-round force in the Australian team.

Tahlia McGrath could hardly have scripted a better way to overshadow the fact Ellyse Perry was left out of the Australian side than by producing an unprecedented display of dominance with both bat and ball, the sort that has been a hallmark of Perry's own decorated career.

The term 'changing of the guard' will no doubt be overused in the coming days, but it is apt.

Never before has a player scored more than 75 and taken three wickets in a women's T20I, and McGrath very nearly reached a maiden hundred, finishing on 91 not out from just 49 balls to follow her 3-26, which included two decisive yorkers that stopped Danni Wyatt and Nat Sciver in their tracks.

England opener Tammy Beaumont called it "one of the best things I've ever seen" and her somewhat awestruck reflection that she had known McGrath since their days batting together for the Adelaide Strikers five years ago came with an air of 'I knew her before she was famous'.

For all the talk about Australia's batting line-up, which was minus the injured Beth Mooney, their re-cast middle-order was not required in the record-breaking pursuit of 170, with the target reached with three overs to spare.

But the game was nonetheless a line-in-the-sand moment for Australia's selectors, a statement that their actions will back up their words.

After pledging to evolve and choose players capable of scoring rapidly in their middle-order, it meant Perry, a veteran of 126 T20Is and the greatest player Australia has produced, was left on the sidelines and the hard-hitting Grace Harris was picked in the middle-order alongside Ashleigh Gardner and Rachael Haynes.

Explaining the decision on Channel Seven, Australia coach Matthew Mott said he had flagged the upcoming selection squeeze with Perry some weeks earlier.

"All our research shows the ability of those at 5, 6 and 7 to score quickly and get a high strike rate (is important in T20s)," he said.

"So once she wasn't considered in the top order, it became a different conversation and that's why someone like Grace has come in."

Perry still has a major role to play in her strongest formats, Test and ODI cricket, through the remainder of the Ashes, and McGrath acknowledged the depth of talent sitting on Australia's bench following Thursday's game.

"When you look at the players sitting on the sidelines, it's such a quality side and I wasn't even sure if I was going to get the nod tonight to play," McGrath said.

"When you get your opportunity, you've got to make the most of it because there's so many waiting on the sidelines ready to have a go.