Aussie quick firms for T20 recall after ‘rough 12 months’
Australian fast bowler Megan Schutt ensured there was no doubt about her player of the series title in the final ODI against Bangladesh, finishing with 4-16.
Schutt was instrumental in a 3-0 series whitewash and sent down 10 overs straight in the final match at Allan Border Field.
Megan Schutt. Getty Images
The fast bowler finished with 10 wickets for the series, as she hopes for a T20I recall against New Zealand this Sunday.
Australia’s final ODI started with stand-in captain Tahlia McGrath winning the toss and electing to bowl. Schutt was on fire from the start, taking the first four wickets to have Bangladesh 4-45.
Ellyse Perry, Ash Gardner, Alana King and Allabel Sutherland took the other wickets to have Bangladesh bowled out for 172 from 49.5 overs.
Sharmin Akter Supta (50) and Shorna Akter (54) were the top-scorers for the visitors.
In reply, Australia - who was without Phoebe Litchfield with injury - chased down the total in 22.4 overs only two wickets down. Perry (65 not out) and Sutherland (74) were the top-scorers while Beth Mooney hit 21 in her 100th ODI.
Australia will now play three T20Is against New Zealand with Schutt eyeing off a spot in the side having only played one match at the T20 World Cup earlier this year.
“She’s had a pretty rough 12 months in the fact she’s been in and out of the side,” McGrath told reporters post-match.
“She’s probably not bowling as much as she’d like for us, but you give the new ball to Shooter you know she’s going to do a job for you, you know she’s going to either hold down an end or take poles. She had an unbelievable series for us and it was awesome to see her back playing in an Aussie shirt and see her dominate.
“Bangladesh didn’t really stand a chance with her taking the new ball at the top of her mark, she didn’t miss her length all three games. 10 overs straight, not too many players can do that.”
McGrath said the tactic behind 10 straight was down to Schutt looking like she could take a wicket every other and her eagerness to keep bowling.
“She was like ‘do not take me off’, it’s pretty good when you get a bowler in form like that who wants the ball in her hand,” she said.
“You just let her do her thing.”
Attention will now turn to Australia’s series against New Zealand with McGrath confirming Litchfield will travel to Sydney for the T20s before further assessment on her low-grade hip strain.
“Hopefully she’ll play,” she said.
As for regular captain Sophie Molineux, McGrath said she was “tracking really well” with her own hip injury with the goal for her to play in the T20s.
