Aussies target bowling gains as they chase 'perfect game'

Ashleigh Gardner insists Australia are still chasing "that perfect performance" as they continue their bold mission of progressing through the World Cup undefeated.

Australia have won their six round-robin matches to date, with just one – against first-time competitor Bangladesh, a team Australia have never played an ODI against – remaining on Friday.

From there looms a semi-final, the hurdle where the world's top-ranked team stumbled in 2017, against a yet-to-be-determined competitor.

The tournament favourites have been pushed throughout their winning run, holding off an England charge led by Natalie Sciver to escape with a 12-run win in their opening game, before they pulled off the two biggest chases in women's World Cup history in their two most recent games against India and South Africa.

If the remaining matches play out as expected, those three teams will join Australia in the semi-finals – just in case Meg Lanning's team needed any reminders that there is no room for complacency.

"It certainly hasn't been easy," Lanning insisted on Tuesday following her unbeaten 135 against South Africa.

"Teams come hard at us, they get up when they play against us and we're ready for that, to absorb a bit of pressure and then push back when we need to.

"It's been a very challenging tournament so far and we're expecting that to happen into the semi-finals as well."

Australia's batting line-up has been humming, with five of the top six posting half-centuries, and the only player who has yet to pass the 50-mark, Beth Mooney, has finished not out in three of her five innings to date.

No one bowler has been dominant, with Alana King Australia's leading wicket-taker coming in at ninth for the tournament overall, but they have had a broad range of contributors – employing seven options in almost every match – and have made changes to their attack each game.

But Gardner says there remains room for improvement.

"We're always chasing that perfect performance and I feel like we're yet to achieve that, which is really exciting," the allrounder said following Tuesday's match.

"We've shown some really good glimpses of with both bat and ball and in the field as well.

"We always just want to get better as individuals and as a team … to go undefeated throughout this World Cup (round robin stage) is also something that we really want to do and take that momentum into the semi-final and then hopefully the final."

In a World Cup that has been repeatedly hailed as the closest ever – and rightfully so, with 10 of 22 matches so far going down to the final over, or decided by a margin of one wicket or fewer than 10 runs – Australia have found a way to stay ahead of the pack.

One critique of Australia's performances to date (and they do hold themselves to extremely high standards) could look at their wicket taking, having bowled sides out just twice in those six victories.

Gardner said taking 10 wickets was always the goal but pointed out that restricting teams had proved effective in keeping both India and South Africa to reachable targets in the past week, in excellent batting conditions.

"One of our KPIs is to take 10 wickets … today wasn't to be and I think after the Powerplay, we really restricted South Africa with the bowlers that came on and we just tied down the batters that were in," Gardner said.

"We haven't (bowled teams out) as much as we would have liked but I still think that we've restricted them, which has then created those opportunities.

"I think as a bowling group we're getting better and better … the most exciting thing is there's so many players that are also sitting (on the bench) at the moment who could come in and play a really vital role.

"It's certainly an exciting group to be part of."

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, 9am AEDT

Mar 31: Hagley Park, Christchurch, 12pm AEDT

Final

Apr 3: Hagley Park Christchurch, 11am AEST

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