Wides, a major concern for the Aussies against India feels Ashleigh Gardner

The Australians have a huge area of concern ahead of their encounter against the Indians in the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup on Wednesday. The Australians have been highly off-base with their bowling and has given away a plethora of runs through extras.

Extras were the primary reason behind their loss to England on Sunday. In the narrow three-run defeat, the Australians gave away as many as 32 runs through extras. 23 of those runs came from wide deliveries which are unusual in a 50 over cricket match. This inaccuracy in their bowling has been a significant threat to their hopes of defending the crown feels all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner.

Though the Aussies have been victorious in 4 out of 5 occasions in this year’s tournament, they have given away 112 runs through extras. The second highest runs given as a result of extras belong to England (69). The Australians have leaked 43 runs more than the second placed team which is a bit peculiar.

Australia will next face the Indians, who are one of the firm favourites of the tournament along with the Aussies. However, the Indians have been pretty spot on with their bowling giving away only 28 runs through extras.

However, the Australians are the only team along with Pakistan who has not bowled a single no-ball in the tournament. The problem for the women in yellow lies with the wides as they have bowled a colossal 74 wides in the tournament.

“We’ll be staying nice and positive (after Sunday’s loss), but with our bowling the wides are a massive issue at the moment,” Gardner said in Bristol on Monday.  “We’re going to work really hard these couple of days at training and in games to cut down those wides, because there were 23 runs scored extra where we could have won if they weren’t there.  “So we’re going try and really work on those wides.”

Ellyse Perry has been Australia’s most inaccurate bowler with 15 wides to her name. She is followed by Megan Schutt and Elyse Villani who have 8 wides each in the tournament.

“I don’t know, to be honest,” she said. “I think it’s just our bowlers not being ready. “For me personally, I bowled two wides (on Sunday) and it was just balls I bowled where I was a little bit lazy, really not finishing off my action.  “For most bowlers, it’s just a bit of a mind fade I guess.  “No one wants to bowl a wide and it comes back down to keeping the processes simple when you’re standing at the top of your mark.”

On the game against India:

The last time the Indians and the Australians locked horns, Mithali Raj and her girls emerged victoriously.

“We haven’t played India or South Africa and I don’t think we want to take them lightly,” Gardner said.  “The England game is over now so all our focus goes to the India game.  “We’ll have a meeting after training tomorrow so that’s when we really start to nail our plans to them.  “We’ll have bowling meetings as well to sort out what we need to do to take wickets against them.” concluded Gardner.