Australia will continue to push the boundaries in the second West Indies’ one-dayer in St Kitts, after their new-look side started the Sophie Molineux era in record-breaking fashion.
The Aussies can take an unassailable 2-0 series lead with a win in Sunday’s ODI (5am Monday AEDT), and having posted 341 in the opening match, a record for women’s one-dayers in the Caribbean, and sealed a 101-run win, allrounder Georgia Wareham said there remained room for improvement.
“We were in such a good position to maybe even push that total even higher in the batting innings,” Wareham told cricket.com.au.
“And I guess as bowlers as well, we’re always looking to try and take 10 wickets, so that’s something we’re going to be looking forward to doing in the next game.”
Australia’s total was a team-wide effort, with Phoebe Litchfield’s 77 the largest contribution alongside five scores in the 40s, and was a display of their depth, given key batters Beth Mooney and Annabel Sutherland were missing from the line-up, with Molineux and Nicola Carey promoted up the order into roles they had not previously played at international level.
Wareham’s late-innings flurry was instrumental in pushing Australia above the previous record of 9-309, set by South Africa last yet, as she smashed 42 from 21 deliveries after arriving in the middle in the 45th over.
It was a welcome change in fortunes for the allrounder, who had a lean run batting at No.6 through the T20I leg in St Vincents, where she was dismissed for 9, 11 and one.
“I think I learned a lot in those T20s, so to be able to put it into practice out there tonight, I was pretty happy with it,” Wareham said after the first ODI.
“It’s always fun to come in at the end of the innings there and just sort of play with lots of freedom.
“I feel like that’s been my role a lot in this team, to come in at the end and grab some momentum into the next inning.
“Facing a lot of (the West Indies) bowlers in the T20 stuff, and then going to those T20 plans at the end of the innings (on Friday) … and having some back up plans to those plans worked out in my favour and it was obviously nice to get a few out of the middle of the bat.”
Beth Mooney meanwhile will be hoping to prove her fitness after she was a late scratching for Friday’s series opener due to calf tightness.
With a one-day gap between matches, the Australian squad did not train on Saturday, and if Mooney did not get up, Tahlia Wilson would have a second opportunity behind the stumps following her surprise debut.
If Mooney is fit, she would return to her usual position of No.4 in the Australian order, if not, Molineux – who is playing as a specialist batter due to a back concern – could get another chance up the order to demonstrate her all-round skills after scoring a career-best 47 in the position, and sharing in a 91-run fifth-wicket stand with Nicola Carey, on Friday.
“Those two built a really important partnership for us through the middle there,” Wareham said.
“I thought Nic was unbelievable, just taking the game on, and then Soph has just been really busy up the other end.
“They built that partnership which made it easier for me to come in at the end and play with lots of freedom.
“(Soph) hits to a lot of different areas and I think a strength of hers has always been her timing of the ball, she just times the pants off it, and it just flies off her bat.
“I’ve bowled a lot of balls to her in the nets, and I’ve seen it flying over my head quite a lot, so it’s nice to be able to see her do it on the international stage and do it with confidence.”
Qantas tour of the West Indies 2026
First T20I: Australia won by 43 runs
Second T20I: Australia won by 17 runs
Third T20I: Australia won by 40 runs (DLS method)
First ODI: Australia won by 103 runs
Second ODI: March 30, Warner Park, St Kitts, 5am AEDT (March 29, 2pm local)
Third ODI: April 3, Warner Park, St Kitts, 5am AEDT (April 2, 2pm local)
West Indies squad: Hayley Matthews (c), Chinelle Henry (vc), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Jahzara Claxton, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Jannillea Glasgow, Realeanna Grimmond, Shawnisha Hector, Qiana Joseph, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, Shunelle Sawh, Stafanie Taylor
Australia squad: Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham, Tahlia Wilson
All matches to be broadcast on ESPN via Disney+ only
