Australia 78 for 1 (Voll 45*) beat Bangladesh 77 for 8 (Molineux 2-14, Perry 2-14, Garth 2-18) by nine wickets
Australia had been selecting from just 13 fit players at the start of the game after Phoebe Litchfield was ruled out with a quad injury and Ashleigh Gardner an ankle strain.
Many swing and seam bowlers have enjoyed Headingley over the years, and it did not take long for Garth to have an impact on a chilly morning where the sun was reluctant to make an early appearance. Dilara Akter swiped across the line in the second over and Juairiya Ferdous, who made such an impression against Netherlands, was beaten by one which straightened as she, too, aimed to leg.
Perry’s reminder of Molineux’s endless options
Molineux then had a hand in Perry’s first wicket with a sharp catch at short cover to pluck out Sobhana Mostary’s drive. By the end of her first over Perry had two to her name when a nip-backer pinned Shorna Akter lbw. Perry, who is used less frequently with the ball these days, went on to bowl three overs for the first time in a T20I since January 2024.
Perry’s double strike left Bangladesh 27 for 5 in the eighth over and with the possibility of being bowled out. That was prevented by a stand of 32 between Nigar and Ritu Moni although there was never any scoring pressure on Australia.
Molineux rotated through various pace and spin combinations with legspinners Georgia Wareham and Alana King sharing four overs between them. Such are the plethora of options at Molineux’s disposal that Nicola Carey, a skillful swing bowler who would no doubt have enjoyed these conditions, has yet to bowl in the tournament.
After taking a few deliveries to get used to the pace of the pitch and Marufa Akter’s inswing, Voll made swift inroads into the small chase. Her first boundary was a six down the ground off Marufa and there were further shots in the ‘V’ which showcased her power, getting her tournament up and running after the duck against South Africa.
Beth Mooney was the only wicket to fall, well held at mid-off by a diving Moni to give Marufa a deserved wicket as she bowled her four overs straight through. Australia will hope their injury concerns ease in the coming days but they have given themselves early breathing space in the race for a semi-final spot.
