All-conquering Aussies ‘bombed out’ of the last World Cup. That makes this one even harder

The sting from a World Cup stunner a year ago has fortified Australia for a task its champion cricketers described as one of the toughest challenges they will face in their careers over the next month in India and Sri Lanka.

Australia will bid to defend its ODI World Cup title in the ODI World Cup beginning on Tuesday when co-hosts India and Sri Lanka face each other in a match in Guwahati.

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Alyssa Healy, who will lead Australia into battle in its first round-robin match against New Zealand in Indore on Wednesday, is excited by the numerous challenges facing her side.

Those challenges range from the expectations on the defending champions, which have won seven of the 12 previous editions of the ODI World Cup, to an extended stint on the road that began with a series against India earlier this month.

But among the motivations are rebounding from a surprise loss to South Africa in a semi-final of the T20 World Cup held a year ago in the United Arab Emirates.

“Touring a place like India, as well, they are some of the harshest conditions that we’re going to face,” Healy told foxsports.com.au in an interview in Brisbane at the start of September.

“So it’s not easy, but in saying that, more often than not some of the best experiences I’ve had are in situations that aren’t that easy and the group seems to bond together really well and actually really enjoy their time away. I’m really looking forward to that from an off field perspective.

“I think on the field, we’re in such a great place to go there and just play some good cricket. I think the T20 World Cup last year, yes, it didn’t quite go our way, but we were fully aware we weren’t at our best. We weren’t playing the way we wanted to, and that someone could have got us on any day and South Africa did get us.

“But I think in the one-day format, it’s one we’re comfortable with and we work really hard at it. I think you need to showcase your skills over a longer period of time and that’s something that the depth in our squad can provide over that six week period. So I’m really looking forward to that.

“Everyone just expects us to go to a World Cup and win it, and that’s not an easy expectation to stroll over there with, but we pride ourselves on winning trophies, and we feel like we let one slip in the UAE. So it’s high time to have another crack this year and go to India and hopefully hold on to that one.”

Star all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner excelled in the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand when taking 10 wickets, along with some handy contributions with the bat, and described the task ahead as massive.

But she said the surprise loss in the UAE last October prompted the Aussies to reconsider their approach and try to enjoy their cricket more, with the Aussies playing with great freedom in the historic whitewash of the Ashes last summer.

“Everyone was so disappointed with how that World Cup campaign kind of went, but that feels like a lifetime ago,” Gardiner told foxsports.com.au.

“It’s still hard to believe that … we bombed out when we did. It was certainly really frustrating, but I think resilient is certainly the word that comes to mind. I think this group just wants to keep growing and wants to keep getting better and I guess we had a real good look at ourselves and each other.

“We changed a few things because we knew that, you know, we’ve been so successful for so long, but teams were catching up. Yes, we were leading the pack, but teams aren’t that far behind, so we want to keep being 10 steps ahead rather than two. So for us, it was like, ‘Okay, what can we do? What are those little one percenters that we can get better at, whether it’s off the field or on the field?’

“I guess the language that we use - and I think the team is in an amazing spot at the moment (because) we all love each other’s company - and I guess that’s probably just one little part of it, because we spend so much time away from each other. You almost see them more than your own family. So it’s making sure that you’ve got that great bond and fantastic connection with them.

“Hopefully that kind of translates onto the field as well, then you can be successful on the field. So I think where the group’s at the moment, we’re in a really cool spot. So hopefully we can kind of leverage off that into what this summer looks like.”

Superstar Ellyse Perry said the depth of talent in women’s cricket continues to grow, which will make Australia’s task more testing, with the Aussies to play co-hosts Sri Lanka and India, along with Pakistan, in the first half of the tournament.

Some of the squad have played in the Women’s Premier League, which is a bonus, but some matches in the World Cup will be played on grounds that have not previously hosted women’s games, which has added to the difficulty of planning for the tournament.

“I think it’s actually a really new challenge, because the progress of the game since the last World Cup in India has been quite phenomenal, not just from an Indian perspective, but I think globally, the game has grown so much,” Perry said.

“So I think it’s going to be new territory for us in a lot of ways. There will probably be much bigger crowds than we’re used to, (though) perhaps those who have played in the WPL have now experienced that, but ... I think the scrutiny and the interest in the tournament will be on a whole nother level. It’s a pretty cool opportunity.”

Australian legend Meg Lanning has retired from international cricket but will be keeping a close eye on the defence from the team she led triumphantly in the last ODI World Cup.

The Aussies won a recent ODI series against India 2-1, though the loss was a record defeat, and were beaten by England in a trial match on the weekend.

But Lanning has no doubt the extended format will suit the defending champions more the T20 edition.

“I think, notoriously, T20 World Cups are pretty difficult to win. It doesn’t take much to go wrong for you to be missing out on that trophy, which we obviously found out last year,” Lanning said.

“But 50 over World Cups, I find because you play everyone, the best team across that period of time generally comes out on top. And there’s nothing like playing everyone across five weeks … because you get the opportunity to problem solve as you go.

“And you know, if you get to the pointy end of the competition, that your best is probably going to match it with the other teams through to the semi-finals. So while it’s challenging, it’s quite rewarding as well, because at the end of it, you’re the best team in the world if you can manage to lift the trophy, because you’ve beaten everyone and you’ve played everyone. As a whole, it’s just an amazing experience.”

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