After crushing tournament hosts England on Monday, the world No.1 Aussies hammered West Indies by six wickets at the same Cardiff venue in their last prelim match on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) before launching their campaign with a huge match against South Africa this weekend.Â
Molineux pronounced herself happy with her team's preparations as seven of her eight bowlers helped themselves to a wicket in bowling out the Windies for 131 before the in-form Beth Mooney and Georgia Voll helped them make light work of the chase.
Mooney, who'd hammered 43 against England, this time eased to 34 off 18 balls before Australia decided to retire their left-handed ace to give a few other batters a chance.
Ellyse Perry, top-scorer with 64 against England, fell for just five, while Ash Gardner (seven) and Georgia Wareham (one) both missed out, but Queenslander Voll, after a scratchy start, showed why she's the world's top-ranked T20 batter as she blitzed 77no off 48 balls, with 10 fours and two sixes.
The 22-year-old got Australia home on 4-132 with five overs to spare as Molineux's side looked really sharp in all facets of the game as they seek to regain the title the South Africans ripped from them in the 2024 Dubai semi-finals.
"I felt like there was a few bits and pieces we wanted to tick off, and we did today. So, yeah, very pleased," beamed Molineux, who had a first taste of bowling action herself, taking 1-19 off her three overs.
"All around I was pleased, and especially to be able to pull off a chase like that clinically. It's good to see Volly get some runs; she's been looking pretty good, but hadn't had that score yet, so to see her be able to take the game on and hit the ball cleanly, really happy about that.
"My body's good. We've been rotating through bowlers with minimal match prep, so everyone's had a good stint out in the middle, and it was nice to get a bowl," added Molineux, who joined Kim Garth (1-13), Lucy Hamilton (2-19), Perry (1-16), Nicola Carey (1-11), Wareham (1-10) and Gardner (2-17) in the wickets column. Only Alana King (0-21) missed out.
Wareham was a standout with one sensational Warne-esque delivery that bamboozled and clean bowled Hayley Matthews and a superb pick-up-and-one-handed throw-down with just one stump to aim at to run out the threatening Deandra Dottin on 46.
"It's tricky, but you wouldn't want it any other way," said Molineux, musing on the selection dilemmas before Saturday's revenge mission against the Proteas at Old Trafford.
"In tournament play, you have to be able to play 15 players at any point in time, so it was good. We're really pleased with how the last couple of weeks of prep has gone.
"It is a big game against South Africa, and I don't think we've want it any other way. Coming into the World Cup, knowing that we're playing against the class outfit, we know that we have to start really sharp. We're all pretty hungry just to get out there and get it going."
The West Indies were left with a concern over star allrounder Chinelle Henry, who took a nasty tumble in the field and had to be carried off. "We're crossing fingers she''ll be okay," said Matthews.
Earlier at Cardiff, England (6-171, with Amy Jones scoring 64 and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt 57) had edged out India by five runs, bowling them out for 166 and then just holding off Richa Ghosh's late charge with 68 off 36 balls.
