Bowling to Shafali will be a really good challenge: Sutherland

BRISBANE: Australia's fast-bowling all-rounder Annabel Sutherland believes that bowling to Indian opener Shafali Verma will be a really good challenge. She also said that she will be ready to bowl with the new ball if asked to do so. Annabel had bowled with the new ball in three ODIs against New Zealand in Brisbane last year.

"There's a number of fast bowlers in the squad with Darcie (Brown), Stella (Campbell) and Tayla (Vlaeminck), plus the allrounders — it's a pretty good fast bowling attack. Anyone who gets the new ball will no doubt take it with both hands… I'll certainly be putting my hand up for that as much as I can," said Annabel in an interview to cricket.com.au.

"But no matter who takes the new ball, it will be a pretty good line-up. I think (bowling to) Shafali in particular, how hard she comes at the ball is in the powerplay, it'll be a really good challenge and one all the girls are really looking forward to."

Annabel is back in the Australian team after being ruled out of the series against New Zealand at the last minute due to a stress reaction in the femur of right leg. She revealed that the call to not take part in the away tour to New Zealand was due to the risk of early signs developing into a serious injury.

"I guess it was not necessarily an injury, but just something that was flagged and the medical team decided to take a bit of a conservative approach with it, considering the nature of the New Zealand tour with the quarantine. Pretty much since that tour, I've been ready to go and I was able to get in a full pre-season which has been awesome."

"It was my second full preseason, so I was trying to get fitter and stronger, and work on a few different things around my bowling and my stability at the crease to hopefully add a few kms to my bowling. Overall I was just looking to get stronger, and I'll continue to do that." IANS

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