Australia Beat West Indies as Alana King Sends Huge World Cup Message

The Australian women’s cricket team are in St Vincent this week for a three-match T20 series against the West Indies, their final tour before June’s T20 World Cup in the United Kingdom. The stakes could not be much higher for the players on the fringes of the squad.

On Friday, Australia made a winning start. They posted 6-164 and the West Indies could only manage 6-121 in reply, claiming a 43-run victory to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

But the result was only part of the story. What Alana King did with the ball gave Australian selectors plenty to think about.

King’s Spell Puts World Cup Selectors on Notice

King was dropped from Australia’s T20 setup last month for the home series against India, a decision she described as “disappointing” at the time. The door reopened this week when captain Sophie Molineux returned from a back injury in an unusual capacity, playing in the match but not available as a bowler. King took her chance.

She finished with figures of 3-14 from four overs, dismantling the West Indies’ top order in a spell that changed the course of the game. She removed rival captain Hayley Matthews for 11, then produced a double-wicket maiden to dismiss both Shemaine Campbelle and the dangerous Deandra Dottin. The West Indies were 4-76 after 13 overs and never recovered.

“She was brilliant,” Molineux said after the match. “She had a new role in the powerplay and bowled really well.”

Beth Mooney was equally complimentary. “I thought she executed really well, bowled to the conditions,” the opener said. “It was nice to see her reap the rewards tonight.”

The Selection Dilemma Facing Australia

King’s performance has made life complicated for the national selectors ahead of the World Cup. Georgia Wareham has been Australia’s first-choice leg-spinner in the T20 format for several years, but King is making a strong case for both wrist-spinners to be included. Since the start of last year, she has averaged 12.44 in T20Is with an economy rate of 6.58.

The challenge is finding room. Molineux and Ashleigh Gardner both offer spin alongside their batting contributions, which makes it difficult to justify four dedicated spinners in the same starting XI. When Molineux is fully fit and available with the ball, something has to give.

King knows that better than most. She has been in and out of the T20 setup despite being Australia’s standout bowler at last year’s ODI World Cup. The next two years include not just the T20 World Cup but also an Olympics, a Champions Trophy, and another ODI World Cup. The window to cement her place is now.

Mooney Leads With the Bat as Australia Struggle in the Field

Australia’s batting was anchored by Beth Mooney, the world’s top-ranked T20 batter, who made 79 off 55 balls. The left-hander was measured early, scoring 29 from her first 29 deliveries, before accelerating through the back half of her innings with seven boundaries and two sixes. A 99-run partnership with Ellyse Perry, who contributed 36 off 32 balls, gave Australia the platform they needed. A late collapse of 4-23 in the death overs kept the total to 6-164.

The fielding, however, was a concern. Australia spilled six catches across the innings, with King herself dropping three. Molineux addressed it bluntly after the match.

“We’ll look to tidy that up,” she said.

Final Word

King has done what she can do. Three wickets, a miserly economy rate, and a spell that decided the match. The selection conversation is now firmly back in her court.

Australia lead the series 1-0. The second T20 takes place at the same venue on Sunday at 9am AEDT.

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