Australia turn to WBBL for intel on unfamiliar foes

Beth Mooney admits she is "slightly scared" at the prospect of taking on her Perth Scorchers teammate Marizanne Kapp in Tuesday's showdown between the World Cup's two remaining unbeaten teams in Wellington.

Australia and South Africa have not played one another in an ODI since the last tournament in 2017 and met in just one T20I – the wild and wet T20 World Cup semi-final in Sydney in 2020 – and two T20 practice matches during the intervening years.

But much of the Proteas' best XI are familiar foes, with Kapp and her new-ball partner Shabnim Ismail, openers Laura Wolvaart and Lizelle Lee, batter Mignon du Preez, allrounder Chloe Tryon and stand-in skipper Sune Luus featuring in the WBBL in recent seasons.

"We've seen what Marizanne can do with the bat and the ball, and how competitive she is and that fiery nature she brings to a contest, so I'm looking forward to coming up against her in this game," Mooney said of Kapp, whose individual brilliance with both bat and ball was critical in South Africa's narrow wins over England, New Zealand and Pakistan.

"(Kapp and Ismail) are probably the two form opening bowlers in the world at the moment.

"Hopefully we can keep (Kapp) a little bit quieter than she has been in the last couple of games … she's shown she's always the one that puts her hand up for South Africa."

South Africa have never beaten Australia in any format in the women's game, with their closest result a tied one-dayer in Coffs Harbour in 2016, while Australia ran out 59-run winners during the 2017 World Cup.

But the Proteas have made significant steps forward since that tournament, winning 32 of the 47 one-dayers they have played and rising to second in the ICC rankings.

Australia are the only team in this World Cup who did not meet them during that period, with their scheduled tour in March 2020 one of the first to be cancelled due to COVID-19.

"It's a huge point that got raised in our meeting just before training," Mooney said.

"South Africa have been on a bit of a run and played a lot of consistent cricket across those five years against some world-class opponents as well.

"Unfortunately, we haven't had too much of an opportunity to come up against them … they've shown they've got a world-class bowling attack as well as batters that can win the game for them.

"But we're pretty confident with the intel we have both playing with them in the WBBL and playing against some of the girls in that team that have been around for a long period of time.

"We'll be sharing that information amongst ourselves between the batting and the bowling unit and understanding that whilst we know what we're coming up against, it's always going to be a challenge against a team that's playing well and playing on confidence."

South Africa are also drawing on their WBBL knowledge as they prepare for their biggest test of this tournament so far.

Speaking to media on Monday, opener Wolvaardt said she was looking forward to the challenge of facing her Adelaide Strikers teammates, with as many as four – Darcie Brown, Megan Schutt, Tahlia McGrath and Amanda-Jade Wellington – to feature in Australia's XI.

"She's been taking some wickets up front and getting nice shape on the ball," Wolvaardt said of fast bowler Brown.

"For me, it'll just be about getting through the first couple of overs.

"They have some world-class bowlers and I have to respect the good balls, and hopefully we can set up a big score for the side.

"I think (the WBBL) helps a lot. (Australia are) one of the sides that we should be the most prepared for, because a lot of our girls have spent quite a lot of time playing against and in the same team as a lot of their players.

"But I guess it goes both ways, we might know their games a bit better but they might know ours a bit better as well."

Australia's spot in the semi-finals is secure, while South Africa need one more win to cement their place in the play-offs for a second successive tournament.

They have three opportunities to do so, with games also to come against West Indies and India.

"We just need to see it as a as a normal game," Wolvaardt said of Tuesday's match.

"I don't think we've ever beaten them in an ODI so I think it's a great opportunity to do that but we'll have to be on the top of our game."

But in a blow to their bowling ranks, fast bowler Masabata Klaas has been ruled out of Tuesday's game due to a shoulder injury suffered against New Zealand.

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: v South Africa, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

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