Australia hoping to adapt to conditions quicker after surviving another scare

Australia keep finding a way to beat England, thanks in large part to the brilliance of Alana King and the bowlers, but the legspinner says the batting group can make some adjustments ahead of the third ODI in Hobart after an extraordinary collapse almost cost them the game in Melbourne on Tuesday.

Australia hold a four point lead in the multiformat Ashes series after winning the first two ODIs. In the second at the Junction Oval, they defended 181 despite losing 8 for 49 after being 131 for 2 batting first, with King claiming 4 for 25 with the ball.

But Australia’s batting has been equally shaky. They have been bowled out inside 50 overs in two of their last three ODIs and they lost six wickets chasing just 205 in the first ODI against England and were fortunate not to lose more.

King said the batters will have a conversation about adjusting their methods ahead of the third ODI in Hobart on Friday.

“I think it’s maybe just adapting to conditions a lot better and trying to find a way of scoring when it’s quite tricky,” King said after the second ODI. “They’ve got some world class bowlers. [Sophie] Ecclestone is the No.1 bowler in the world at the moment, so just trying to find ways to still be positive against her and even [Lauren] Filer at the top. You know she’s got the raw pace and aggression, so there’s no doubt there’ll be some conversations had between now and the next one in Hobart. But I’m sure we’ll adapt as quick as we can.”

They have been able to adapt with the ball in both games so far. Australia have been shocked by the amount of spin on offer at both North Sydney Oval and the Junction Oval in Melbourne, and King and Gardner have thrived as a result.

“I’m pretty stoked that there’s a bit of bounce and spin, a lot of purchase as well,” King said.

“I’m going to stick to my strengths and that’s still bowling it really well, ripping it out of my hands and get as much as I can out of the wicket. That’s just finding my pace, but more importantly, finding my length.”

King’s length control was impeccable throughout her spell yesterday. Her delivery to knock over Danni Wyatt-Hodge was the perfect legbreak. It drifted into leg stump, pitched and spun sharply past Wyatt-Hodge’s front foot defence and hit the top of off. Wyatt-Hodge wore a look of complete bemusement as King and Australia celebrated. But even King wasn’t sure how much it had turned.

“I’ve not really seen it, so I’ll let you know when I’ve had a couple of looks at it,” King said. “She’s a pretty dangerous player, so to see the back of her pretty early on was pretty special.”

King is in a purple patch of form after barely bowling in the first four ODIs she played this summer. King bowled just 13.1 overs across the three-match series against India in December, taking four wickets at 17.50 and a strike-rate of 19.75.

But in her last three ODIs she has bowled 26 overs for figures of 3 for 34, 2 for 35 and 4 for 25. She has not played a T20I since the 2023 World Cup final, with Georgia Wareham Australia’s preferred legspinner in that format. It would be a surprise if King is not considered for the T20Is against England in this series and she’s certainly willing to put her hand up.

“I’m grateful and very privileged whenever I get to put on the jersey,” King said. “I absolutely love it, and I love this group, and I’ll do anything to help this group win and put us in good situations, I guess. And if that’s bowling some hard overs, I’m more than happy to do that for the skipper and do what’s best for the team. So absolutely love playing for Australia, and there’s no doubt I love the Ashes as well.”