*AUSTRALIA WOMEN VS IRELAND WOMEN 1st ODI IN A 3 MATCH ODI SERIES 2023 PREVIEW*
*THE BUILD UP:*
*THE AUSSIES SEEK DOMINANCE AGAIN:*
A dull week for the Australians saw them lose to England in a close ODI series and in order to make the world feel their dominance again, we are all set to witness the Aussies take on the Irish women. This series forms part of the ICC Women's Championship, a quadrennial round-robin competition that sees the top 10 teams play one another in three-game ODI series.
Australia, who won both previous editions of the championship, currently sit sixth with four wins from six matches to date. Ireland are 10th on the table with their only point from nine games so far coming from a washout. The results are there to be seen and we expect nothing but a one sided contest between these two sides. Ireland would be very much willing to take a step forward and pose a challenge to the mighty Aussies who are coming off a series loss, and would be wounded.
*AUS W PROBABLE XI:*
Phoebe Litchfield, Alyssa Healy(c)(wk), Elyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath(vc), Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Wareham, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Darcie Brown
Megan Schutt is set to miss this series and is expected to fly back home after the England ODI series. The quartet of Sutherland-Darcie Brown-Perry-Tahlia Mcgrath will form the pace bowling group for Australia this series and we would be seeing them among the leading wicket takers as well. The conditions in Ireland are bound to be friendly to the fast bowlers and the experience of Perry and Tahlia Mcgrath would be absolutely crucial to their chances.
Healy would be eager to lead her side to a whitewash after a recent humiliation that the side faced in the absence of Lanning. Even though Ireland are far away from being a powerhouse, the confidence that the keeper batter as a skipper would gain would be immense. Her batting has also been under the pump, an aspect which she’d like to reverse come this series and the first game.
Elyse Perry is a superstar of the game who knows it all. She is a clutch player and fits every bill for a utility cricketer. We may see her being rested for a few games but she may be starting here vs Ireland first up. Her value with both facets of the game makes her a big threat to Ireland who have a golden chance this time to shock the visitors.
*IRE W PROBABLE XI:*
Leah Paul, Laura Delany (c), Amy Hunter, Gaby Lewis, Mary Waldron, Rebecca Stokell, Ava Canning, Cara Murray, Arlene Kelly, Jane McGuire, Orla Prendergast
Jane McGuire, the impressive 20 year old is joining the team after an injury and with the excitement she brings to the squad alongside Mary Wauldron is, in my opinion, going to keep Australia on the toes. The latter has the experience of playing with Australians with the representation in the Aussie Domestic Leagues and we could see her use it here in a bid for Ireland to try and achieve something historic.
Laura Delany would be expected to lead from the front with her positive batting approach and give the teams some good starts and also arrest collapses which are likely to arise against this strong Aussie bowling lineup. Alongside her, I’m super excited to see how Orla Prendergast goes about her job with both bat and bowl. She has an inspiring figure in the form of Perry in the opposition and she could learn alot from how she makes the other teams pay.
*MY PREDICTIONS:*
*FOR AUS:*
Highest run getter- Alyssa Healy/Elyse Perry
Highest wicket taker- Jess Jonassen/Darcie Brown
*FOR IRE:*
Highest run getter- Laura Delany/Gaby Lewis
Highest wicket taker- Orla Prendergast
*FOR THE GAME:*
Australia to win