The human brain has its limitations. It is akin to a large storehouse, but beyond a point, it can’t take every single memory. So, it is about picking the important moments and storing them in the chambers of the brain. While listening to Georgia Plimmer’s replies in an interview, the first point that sticks out is her self-assuredness. “Getting used to the heat” was the New Zealand opener’s confident reply to an informal question.
That unmistakable confidence has also been the hallmark of her batting in the ongoing T20 World Cup. She began the tournament with an aggressive knock of 34 versus India. In tricky climes of Sharjah, she was at it again – compiling a sublime hand of 53 against Sri Lanka. Plimmer has been one of the pillars of New Zealand’s batting in the tournament so far.
Just over a month ago, the narrative surrounding Plimmer seemed a touch different. After playing 28 T20Is, she was averaging just over 10. However, amid her failures, there was a subplot hidden somewhere: During the England series in July this year, the New Zealand management had backed the 20-year-old to open the batting. That move is paying dividends for both Plimmer and New Zealand in the World Cup. Just before the mega event, there was also a watershed moment waiting to happen, which in turn gave her the required belief that she was on the right path.
“I think the change to opening the batting from being in the middle-order sort of changed my mindset,” she told RevSportz. “How I want to play, what I want to do out there. The biggest thing is the backing from the rest of the team and support staff. Obviously, getting a few runs can help, scoring that fifty against Australia (T20I played in Brisbane) gave me the confidence to know what I was doing was good enough.”
There is something else noticeable about Plimmer’s batting during the World Cup: Her calibrated approach against spin. The opener has consistently charged down the track in order to get to the pitch of the ball on slow decks of the UAE.
“I have done a little bit of work around where my hip position should be, how my weight is pushing, on the lower tracks that we are seeing in Dubai. A lot of emphasis on trying to get forward and into the ball. Yes, being able to skip down the track and being able to get to the ball has been a massive part of nets (practice),” she reckons.
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There is a lot more to Plimmer’s chronicles than just her batting. What about her childhood days? How and when did she pick up the game? The interesting part is that Plimmer’s first love wasn’t cricket. Instead, she was fascinated by a game which involves an elongated ellipsoidal ball. “When I was a kid, I really liked playing rugby sevens, probably that is what I wanted to do. I used to play softball, I guess that sort of carried over to cricket about the bat and ball aspect of hand-eye coordination,” she pointed out.
But she was destined to play the game of willow and leather. Amelia Kerr, her New Zealand teammate, was one of the key reasons behind the change in destiny. Plimmer knew Amelia’s family from a young age. With time, Amelia became a sort of mentor and an inspirational figure for Plimmer. She also joined Tawa college, which is renowned for producing international cricketers like Sophie Devine, Amelia and Jess Kerr, and Rebecca Burns.
“I didn’t play cricket until I got to college. The likes of ‘Melie’ (Amelia), Jess and Devine coming from the same University showed how much the school cared about cricket. I knew Amelia’s family from the time when she was young, her cousin wanted to play cricket. So, her family got me into playing cricket. I remember ‘Melie’ was my coach. Back in the day, she once said, ‘I can see you playing for Wellington Blaze one day’ and I didn’t believe her. Then a few years later, playing with her for Wellington and White Ferns showed the stepping stone that can come from that school,” she said.
She is also an admirer of Devine, another product of Tawa college, and the current skipper of the New Zealand team. “Sophie has been amazing for us in the last couple of years. Obviously, it is sad to see her go after this T20 World Cup as far as captaining the side is concerned. But she has put in a lot of work behind the scenes to ensure we gel and connect as a group.
“It has been a hard six months with some of our results, but the way she has been able to bring the group back, believing in our skills, and what we are doing is good enough, has been massive for our team,” she observed.
Plimmer’s words of praise are vindicated by New Zealand’s fine showing in the T20 World Cup. The White Ferns have qualified for the last-four of the tournament. New Zealand’s next encounter is against the dangerous West Indies side. On a positive note, New Zealand might have a slight advantage, considering the conditions in Sharjah.
“We have done the hard work in the pool games to get into the semifinals. The West Indies beating England, who seemed big favourites in the group, just shows the nature of the T20 World Cup. That just shows how dangerous they are. We need to bring our ‘A’ game and come together, sort of put on a great performance.”
As the interview neared its conclusion, the discussion veered towards Plimmer’s hobbies outside of cricket. She told, “I very much like going outside. Obviously, a lot of girls know me as (someone) who walks around a bit, experiencing nature.”
Plimmer then quipped, “It is different in this heat.” It was obvious that she referred to the unbearable heat in the UAE. Although she seems to have adjusted well to the vastly different conditions, encapsulated by her creditable performance. The New Zealand backroom staff would hope for Plimmer to once more shine brightly in the desert of Sharjah, when they lock horns against the West Indies.