Molineux urges Australia to play with freedom in bid to reclaim title

Sophie Molineux has called on her Australia team to harness their lack of global silverware as a means of playing with freedom at the T20 World Cup.

Ash Gardner, Australia's co-vice-captain, told ESPNcricinfo last week that all the pressure was on New Zealand as reigning champions.

As the 12 team captains gathered on Waterloo Bridge in London for the ICC's official event launch, Molineux said her team would relish the chance to show the progress they've made when they open their campaign against South Africa at Old Trafford on Saturday.

"I think it can free us up if we harness that," Molineux said of entering the tournament with no title to defend for the first time since 2018. "The last couple of World Cups we've learnt a whole lot from that and been able to implement a few things.

"I feel like we've really evolved as a team in the last few months and even before that. So I'm really excited and I think the girls are really hungry to get out there and be able to put that in place. I don't think there's any better arena to be able to do it at a World Cup in the big moments that are going to come in the next few weeks."

Left-arm spinner Molineux was appointed as the retired Alyssa Healy's successor at the start of this year. She played as a batter only on Australia's tour of the Caribbean in March after she was struck down by back pain during the home series against India and a stress reaction was detected.

But careful management has her "ready and firing to go" after bowling in both Australia's completed warm-up games to date against South Africa at Arundel, where she took 2 for 17 and 1 for 16. And she is keen to make her mark as a calm, caring captain who can get the most out of the enviable talent, knowledge and skill in her team to "go to another level".

"As a person and leader, I'd like to be calm," she said. "I also care a lot about this team and the people in it, first and foremost that the people in the environment feel like they can be themselves. That's been a big thing coming in.

"We've got all the ingredients there. Now we've got the stage and the opportunity to be able to show that over the next few weeks. The girls are really hungry to be able to do that. I'm really excited for what this group can do."

Australia's women's team have played just once at Old Trafford, a drawn Test with England in 1976, so they will be relying on the vast experience within their squad from playing in English domestic cricket and the Hundred for intelligence on conditions.

"We've spoken about this a little bit," Molineux said. "Our squads have a lot of experience over here in England. Players like Grace Harris have spent a lot of time out here and a lot of runs in England as well. We'll definitely have to lean into that and make sure we make use of all that knowledge."

Australia play two more warm-up games, against England on Monday and West Indies on Wednesday, both in Cardiff. There, they will be looking to field sides more closely resembling the XI that will walk out into the middle in Manchester, than the earlier games with South Africa, which were more focused exploring combinations through the middle order and exposing a range of players to English conditions.

Managing the depth of Australia's spin stocks will be a challenge - albeit a nice one to face - with Molineux a lock as captain, match-winning allrounder Gardner and legspinners Georgia Wareham and Alana King. Molineux has also been pleased with her seamers during the practice games so far.

"It was good to see Lucy Hamilton get into the action in Arundel and bowl really well," Molineux said. "Annabel Sutherland and Ellyse Perry were bowling in the powerplay, so that's just nice to know that they can do that.

"We had our leggies bowling… Kingy bowled really well in the West Indies and was able to take a lot of wickets but Wolf's played an amazing role in both the attacking and defensive bowling roles. It's going to be tough. It's going to be tight for spots.

"That's all you can ask for as a captain and as a coach, is to be able to have tough conversations about who's getting picked each game."

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