Ash Gardner Reckons ‘Fielding’ Made All The Difference Against India During Women’s T20 WC Semi-Final

Newlands: It was a game that went down to the wire on Thursday, and eventually Australia held their nerves to beat India by five runs in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 at the Newlands in Cape Town. Star all-rounder Ash Gardner has no doubt that Australia’s supreme fielding was the point of difference that helped her side clinch the game.

“I think we showed our class today in the field and we always speak about as a group being the best fielding team in the world, and I think today really showed that,” Gardner said after claiming the Player of the Match award for her quickfire 31 and figures of 2/37.

“Ellyse Perry was elite on the boundary and she probably saved six runs herself. To think whether it’s drop catches, missed opportunities in the field, those ultimately add up to quite a lot of runs.

And I think we took those moments and those pivotal moments when we really needed to. I certainly think Pez was probably the blueprint for our side� that could have been something that I guess was the difference between us and them,” she added.

It is that edge in the field that still ensures Australia has their neck ahead of opposition teams and Gardner said the players and coaches alike take this part of the game very seriously.

“We have KPIs and there’s markers that show us whether we’re positive or negative in the field. So that’s one thing that after a game, if we know that we’ve fielded badly, we could be minus-10. But if we’ve fielded really well, we’re plus-six and we do it for both sides,” Gardner revealed.

So, there’s a pretty clear indication how we’ve fielded, obviously it is subjective. But I think we just know how to push each other.

I think our athletic ability is also one of the things that we’re probably at the higher end of nations around the world and that’s something that we really pride ourselves on is being fit, being strong. And ultimately that’s one of the things that has an impact in the field,” she added.

A final against either England or South Africa now awaits Australia in Cape Town on Sunday and Gardner is hoping for a good turnout at the picturesque Newlands ground.

“There were a few Aussie supporters here today, which is really nice to see,” Gardner noted.

(With IANS inputs)