'Sloppy' Australia ready to embrace North Sydney test as great opportunity beckons

Australia skipper Alyssa Healy thinks that a squad that has made some major changes can benefit from losses like the one they faced against South Africa in the second ODI. South Africa won the game by 84 runs using the DLS method, which marked their first-ever ODI victory over Australia. Notably, Healy's remarks came ahead of the series decider which will be contested at the North Sydney Oval in New South Wales on February 10, Saturday. 

Healy stated that Australia have been 'sloppy' which saw them losing some games in recent times. Notably, Australia have now lost three games across formats this season after being defeated by the West Indies in a T20I at North Sydney Oval. The skipper did, however, also back her side, calling them "a really good cricket side."

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"It's plain and simple: you can't afford to be sloppy and not adapt as quickly as we needed to. We've proven that over the summer, that when we've let ourselves down, even a little bit, in all three facets we are getting punished. Tomorrow's a great opportunity to come out here and be really clinical and perform the way we know we can. We are still a really good cricket side, we showed in Adelaide how good we can be, just got to turn up tomorrow and do the same thing then do it repeatedly for long periods of time," Healy was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

South Africa lost out on a series win in the T20Is but will be hoping to win the third ODI and clinch the series. The South African all-rounder, Eliz-Mari Marx, claimed that they will bring the confidence gained from winning the second game when they take on Australia in the series decider. 

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"It is definitely not done. There's one game to play and I think it's all to play for. If we as a team can stick to what we did the previous match, we can go and win the series," Eliz-Mari Marx said.