Australia, New Zealand send out spin warning ahead of Women's T20 World Cup

NZ v AUS, 2nd Women's T20I, Scorecard

Two matches into the T20I series between Australia and White Ferns just ahead of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024, a striking theme has been the role of spinners in a series played in New Zealand.

Spinners have taken 13 wickets, the exact same as that of fast bowlers so far in this series, though the returns have come at a better average and a better economy rate.

With the Women's T20 World Cup in UAE, the onus has been on testing out the spinners in this series right before the tournament, and both teams have impressed in this regard.

Watch Melie Kerr's impressive showing in the Women's T20 World Cup 2023

New Zealand, despite being 2-0 down in the series, have shown that they have an impressive array of spinners for UAE.

Melie Kerr, who took a career-best 4/20 in the second T20I in Mackay, is ably supported by Eden Carson, Leigh Kasperek and Fran Jonas. The White Ferns rotated their four spin bowlers in the two games so far to find the ideal combination to play in the tournament early next month.

Australia meanwhile had Ash Gardner returning to the mix for the second T20I after her late withdrawal in match one, and immediately impressed with a Player of the Match performance (3/16 with the ball her major contribution).

Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham are also in the mix, with Alana King yet to play in this series.

Australia, defending champions and six-time title winners, are favourites again heading into the tournament, but the Alyssa Healy-led unit know that it won't be easy in UAE. The skipper also acknowledged the challenge ahead of the series.

"We’re being hunted so heavily by all the teams that we’re almost playing our final every game," Healy said on Fox Sports before the series. "Teams are coming so hard at us because they want to knock us out early.”

“We have to switch on really quickly, and I think that has helped our approach to T20 cricket, in particular over the last couple of World Cups. Winning a World Cup is really, really hard to do, in the T20 format in particular."

The spin group gives Australia big hope, especially since three of the four are also more than just handy with the bat, enabling them to add depth to their line-up without compromising on bowling quality.

In 11 T20Is this year, Australia's spinners have accounted for 32 wickets, bowling at an impressive economy rate of just over six, the best after Scotland this year from among teams set to play the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup.

New Zealand also recognise the stiff spin challenge facing them, and from these two games, it is evident that they are trying to up their spin game with bat and ball.

“There’s been a real focus on spin bowling, which I’m sure everyone is going to focus on, but for us it’s about strike rate and scoring shot percentages," skipper Sophie Devine said on her ICC Column. "With the bat, we’re wanting to be really busy at the crease, we know that the conditions might be tough, so every run is going to be valuable."

With Asian teams like India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the same Group in the tournament, the Trans-Tasman teams will know that their spin bowling will have to be on point to avoid any early hiccups in the tournament.