Scores of 128 for 5, 76 for 7, and that 190 all out against India in the final warm-up. On paper those numbers look untidy, yet Alyssa Healy is not losing sleep. The Australia captain, wearing her familiar half-smile, conceded they are “something we’d like to rectify” – just not a crisis.
“I mean, we’re allowed to lose games of cricket and we’re allowed to be put under pressure at times, in particular in World Cups,” she said on the eve of Sunday’s meeting with India in Visakhapatnam. “I think you’re going to be put under the pump in unfamiliar conditions, against unfamiliar sides at times… I wouldn’t say it’s a worry, it’s something we’d like to rectify and I think there’s a lot of teams that are probably wanting to rectify that as well.”
Plenty of sides have stumbled early in this tournament. India’s top order has been scratchy, South Africa were bundled out for 69, and England crawled to 179 against Bangladesh. Australia, despite their own wobbles, sit on top after rescue hundreds from Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney. The message from Healy is straightforward: batting collapses are widespread, so perspective matters.
Why are scores down? The pitches are doing a bit, especially at venues such as Guwahati and Colombo where moisture and slower surfaces have rewarded spinners and cutters. Only once has 300 been passed. Indore looked flatter – Australia piled up 326 there – and Visakhapatnam, Sunday’s venue, has usually offered a fair contest between bat and ball: runs square of the wicket, but enough grip to keep bowlers interested.
“I think the wickets have still been good,” Healy said. “I think probably maybe a little bit of pressure has come into play at times and teams have got themselves into a little bit of a pickle… we’re just going to have to pick up on that really quickly. And yeah, on the sort of collapse sort of situation, I think it’s on our top order to make the bulk of the runs and I think we can speak on that from both sides.”
Australia’s depth backs up her confidence. Six of the top seven have international hundreds, while the lower order is comfortable clearing the ropes. What has been missing so far is the trademark assertive start; against Bangladesh they were 76 for 7 before Gardner’s salvage job. Assistant coach Daniel Vettori noted during training, almost wryly, that “scoring 300 is easiest when your openers face 20 overs”. It is a gentle reminder to the top three that platform-building still matters.
India will test that resolve. Renuka Thakur’s new-ball swing and Deepti Sharma’s off-spin have created early pressure in each of their matches, even if the batting hasn’t always capitalised. Former India coach WV Raman feels the key is tempo: “If India can keep Australia to 40 for 3, they’ll fancy it. Australia, though, bat so deep you’re never truly safe.”
Conditions could dictate selection. Australia have so far preferred three seamers plus Gardner and Georgia Wareham, but Jess Jonassen’s left-arm spin is tempting against an Indian line-up heavy on right-handers. India, meanwhile, must weigh whether to keep two wrist-spinners on a surface that can skid under lights.
The broader point, as Healy keeps stressing, is adaptability. “The varying conditions and facing oppositions we don’t often play makes this World Cup so unique and really challenging to win,” she said earlier in the tournament. That challenge cuts both ways. Australia remain favourites, yet the gap is narrowing whenever the new ball nips or grips.
A one-sided romp on Sunday would quiet talk of collapses; another stumble, and the conversation lingers. Either way, Healy’s stance is unlikely to shift dramatically. For now, the captain is content trusting a method that has delivered five wins from six. Clean starts are desirable, not compulsory – at least until the knockout stages arrive.
