Australia will wait to make a call on their XI for their T20 World Cup opener against South Africa, after their only training session at Old Trafford was washed out on Friday.
Sophie Molineux’s squad was forced into the indoor nets on Friday morning as steady rain fell over Manchester, and when she addressed reporters following the session, she had yet to lay eyes on the Old Trafford pitch.
Australia could also be forgiven for feeling a degree of frustration at the weather gods; no sooner had they had boarded their bus back to their Manchester lodgings, the clouds parted and the sun arrived just in time for the Proteas’ own afternoon training slot.
“I think it is what it is,” Molineux said on Friday.
“We’ve had a really good couple of weeks over here, getting used to English conditions, and we’re going to have a chance to have a bit of field tomorrow before the game.
“We’re really confident in how we’re prepped, and that doesn’t change whether we’re indoors or outdoors.
“The girls have responded really well to what’s been thrown at us from a weather sense … I think the group is in a great place.”
In positive news, Phoebe Litchfield trained strongly after sitting out both warm-up matches in Cardiff earlier this week due to a quad niggle and is firming for inclusion in Australia’s XI.
The biggest question marks remain over the make-up of Australia’s bowling attack and the overall balance of the XI, including whether Grace Harris has done enough to secure a position in the middle-order, or whether Australia can squeeze in both of their leg-spinners in Georgia Wareham and Alana King.
“We haven’t confirmed the XI yet, but definitely getting close,'” Molineux said.
“We’ll probably spend the night just thinking about the best combinations for tomorrow, but we’re very close.
“She trained really well today, Pheebs – hopefully she pulls up well tomorrow.
“I think we’ll just have a look at that, but she trained really well, and really hopeful she will be up and ready to go tomorrow.”
While the soggy lead-in could count against King, Old Trafford does have a reputation as one of the UK’s more spin-friendly surfaces.
There is also the mental edge King holds over the Proteas, having taken 7-18 the last time she met them during the ODI World Cup last October – albeit in vastly different conditions on the subcontinent.
“She’s got a great record against South Africa, and that will definitely come into account,” Molineux said of King.
“I think the Manchester, Old Trafford pitch historically is a bit more spin friendly as well, but it’s also been under covers for a while … we haven’t looked at it yet.
“So there’s plenty to weigh up there, but I think that game against South Africa only about six or seven months ago is definitely quite fresh in our mind as well, and probably theirs.”
Australia’s women haven’t played at Old Trafford since a one-off Test match in 1976 and their tight lead-in to Saturday’s game, combined with the weather, has forced them to get creative in their preparation.
Beth Mooney phoned a friend, hitting up Meg Lanning for intel, with the former Australia captain currently enjoying a rich run of form playing for Lancashire in the T20 Blast.
Further forecast rain could disrupt proceedings on Saturday, which will also see Ireland meet Scotland in the morning timeslot – a game that will give both Australia and South Africa a bonus chance to assess the conditions before their own match.
“(Meg’s) been playing here for the last couple of months and been scoring a bucket load of runs as well, so it has been good to have her intel come through, very handy,” Molineux said.
Saturday will mark Molineux’s T20 World Cup captaincy debut, after she was appointed to succeed Alyssa Healy as skipper in January.
It has not been an easy path to the tournament for the 28-year-old who was sidelined by a back injury just one month into her tenure, but after a lengthy build-up, the Victorian said any nerves had given way to excitement.
“I think what the group’s been able to do over the last few months, just to be able to lead into this with real confidence and clarity around how we want to play our cricket and connect and be able to do it together, that’s the really pleasing thing the night before the first game,” she said.
“The group’s really hungry and just keen to get to get going, that’s for sure.”
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
Australia squad: Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham. Travelling reserve: Tahlia Wilson
Australia’s Group 1 fixtures
June 13: v South Africa, Old Trafford, Manchester, 11:30pm AEST
June 17: v Bangladesh, Headingley, Leeds, 7:30pm AEST
June 20: v Netherlands, Rose Bowl, Hampshire, 7:30pm AEST
June 24: v Pakistan, Headingley, Leeds, 3:30am AEST
June 28: v India, Lord’s, London, 11:30pm AEST
Semi-final 1: The Oval, London, June 30, 11:30pm AEST
Semi-final 2: The Oval, London, July 2 (3:30am July 3 AEST)
Final: Lord’s, London, July 5, 11:30pm AEST
Click here for the full tournament schedule
All matches will be broadcast on Amazon’s Prime Video
