Snehasis Mukherjee in Visakhapatnam
On the eve of India’s clash against Australia in Vizag in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, only three Indian players turned up for the practice session. Jemimah Rodrigues, Pratika Rawal and Uma Chetry were the only ones seen at the nets.
Jemimah and Pratika batted in rotation, facing the net bowlers and taking throwdowns. India’s top five batters have struggled against spin so far in this World Cup, especially against left-arm spinners. To work on that, the net bowlers included a left-arm orthodox, a right-arm off-spinner and a leg-spinner. Even the throwdowns were from the left hand, showing a clear focus on tackling spin better.
Uma Chetry, the reserve wicketkeeper, had ‘keeping drills with the support staff and later practiced boundary catches.
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Meanwhile, Australia had a more intense and focused training session. The players began with warm-up drills, sharing laughs and keeping the mood light. But what caught attention was Georgia Voll and Phoebe Litchfield batting together in rotation, facing Georgia Wareham, Ashleigh Gardner, and even throwdowns from head coach Shelley Nitschke.
Voll is yet to feature in this World Cup, but her sharp batting raised questions about a possible inclusion for tomorrow’s game. If she comes in, the question is — who makes way? Skipper Alyssa Healy has hinted that Sophie Molineux will likely return to the XI, possibly replacing Wareham. But if Voll also gets a spot, things could get interesting.
Healy spent time doing wicketkeeping drills, while Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath and Ellyse Perry took throwdowns in other nets. Surprisingly, Annabel Sutherland was seen sitting on the sidelines initially. Whether it’s a fitness concern or just rest remains to be seen.
However, a packed, sold-out crowd now awaits the big India vs Australia showdown in Vizag on Sunday.
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