The ‘simple’ change that flicked a switch for Lanning

Meg Lanning can pinpoint the moment it all clicked for her at this World Cup – and after hours spent racking her brain for answers, it all came down to a simple observation in the Eden Park nets.

The Australian captain started the tournament with 86 against England, but scores of 35 against Pakistan, a duck against New Zealand and five against West Indies followed.

Worse than that, on each occasion it was her beloved cut shot that betrayed her.

"I was doing a lot of thinking after the West Indies game in particular," Lanning said on Tuesday.

"There's a bit of time to think when you're on tour (and) I was trying to come up with all sorts of things."

But Lanning turned it around against arguably the toughest new-ball attacks in the tournament in Australia's two latest matches, first falling frustratingly short of a century with her 97 against India, before Tuesday's unbeaten 135 against South Africa.

Lanning shared a net with Alyssa Healy – who was also frustrated by her lack of runs – at Eden Park last Friday, where the two stars tried to pump one another up.

When her first rotation was complete, Lanning walked (some would describe her pace as closer to a 'stalk') her obligatory laps of the oval as she again pondered what was going wrong.

And when she returned for her second hit, it clicked via the simplest of observations from coach Matthew Mott.

"I went in there for some extra throws and the first couple I scuffed the half volley in the air in front of point and I was pretty mad at myself," Lanning said.

"And literally Motty just said, 'you just need to hit the ball later'.

"And the next time I went down, I middled the ball.

"It was a simple sort of thing, just going back to my strengths … I was trying to force the ball a little bit when it wasn't quite there and ending up with the ball going into the air.

"One of my strengths is I hit the ball really late and get the angles going on the off-side.

"That was a bit of a cue for me just to trust my hands and let the ball come to me rather than feeling for it out in front of myself."

Lanning weathered the early storm against Shabnim Ismail and Marizanne Kapp on Tuesday, before cashing in against the change bowlers and spinners.

While Australia had not played the Proteas in an ODI since 2017, the Australian skipper is familiar with both fast bowlers from their frequent appearances in the WBBL, and she knew the barrage she would be facing.

"They've been bowling extremely well throughout the tournament and we knew that we needed to make sure we saw that through, myself and Rach (Haynes) ... and that was how we were going to set up the chase," Lanning said.

"My mindset was to go out there and still try to score but if the ball wasn't there or they bowled it in a really good area to respect that.

"I thought today, in particular, I showed a bit more patience at the start as well, understanding the threats that were there with Ismail and Kapp - I left a number of balls, which is not normal for me, but I felt like that was the way to play this wicket to get myself in."

Lanning scratched around in the 90s against India, with several failed attempts to pierce the twin fielders in the point region before holing out in frustration with just eight runs required for victory.

But it was a different scenario on Tuesday with Australia still almost 100 runs shy of victory as Lanning neared her hundred, and it ensured there were no 'nervous nineties'.

"We speak a lot about someone in the top four going on for a match-winning innings and it was my job to do that today," she said.

"It's great to get to a hundred but my role was to be there at the end, which meant I needed to get quite a few more than 100.

"It was nice to get to that milestone, but it was important that I was there at the end."

Australia have one round-robin match remaining against Bangladesh on Friday, before a semi-final against a yet-to-be-determined opponent next week.

ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington. Travelling reserves: Heather Graham, Georgia Redmayne

Australia's World Cup 2022 fixtures

Mar 5: Beat England by 12 runs

Mar 8: Beat Pakistan by seven wickets

Mar 13: Beat New Zealand by 141 runs

Mar 15: Beat West Indies by seven wickets

Mar 19: Beat India by six wickets

Mar 22: Beat South Africa by five wickets

Mar 25: v Bangladesh, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL WORLD CUP SCHEDULE

Semi-finals

Mar 30: Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

Mar 31: Hagley Park Christchurch, 12pm AEDT

Final

Apr 3: Hagley Park Christchurch, 11am AEDT

All matches to be broadcast in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports