Mackay, Sep 19 : Australia bowling coach Ben Sawyer said on Sunday that India are a world-class batting line-up, having seen a lot of their batting.He also said that the pacer selections for his team will be determined on the match-ups.On Saturday, Australia beat India by 36 runs in a warm-up match in Brisbane.
“They’re a world-class batting line-up.I thought (Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shikha Pandey) might have come out and participated but they were in the nets having a hit, so maybe they’ve got a few niggles and things like that, but I’m sure they’ll be a big part of the tournament.(Kaur and Rodrigues) did really well in The Hundred that just past, and we’ve seen lots of them … everyone’s seen enough of them to know what they’re doing,” Sawyer was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
On the hosts, currently sitting on a 24-match world-record winning run in the ODIs, Sawyer talked about the pace combinations in absence of experienced pacer Megan Schutt.“I think all the quicks have a really good shot (at selection).Obviously Stella (Campbell) did really well yesterday (with 3-38) but Darcie (Brown) had bowled particularly well as well, so I think all the young fast bowlers have a really great opportunity.
“It’s up to ‘Motty’ (head coach Matthew Mott) and the selectors in terms of match-ups.We’ve got good coverage in terms of pace – Hannah Darlington’s a really good change bowler – so whatever the match-ups determine is probably who’s going to get selected,” added Sawyer.
Sawyer, who served as the head coach of Birmingham Phoenix women’s team in the Hundred, has backed veteran all-rounder Ellyse Perry to come good.Sawyer has spent time with Ellyse while being in Sydney Sixers in the women’s big bash league.
“I’d been away (coaching in The Hundred) and I saw her for the first time in a while the other day and she looked so much stronger.The thing maybe people forget is it was a major hamstring injury.
She tried to come back and did well, but now, 18 months on, I think she’s in a really good position and she looked really good over the last couple of days,” signed off Sawyer.
The multi-format series between Australia and India will start with the first ODI at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay on Tuesday
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