Cardiff, June 9 (IANS) Australia pacer Kim Garth believes the defending champions are building momentum at the right time after a convincing five-wicket victory over hosts England in a warm-up match ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Australia produced a complete performance in Cardiff, restricting England to 157/6 before comfortably chasing down the target with 10 balls remaining. Garth played a key role with the new ball, helping dismantle England’s top order alongside veteran seamer Megan Schutt.

The right-arm pacer, who returned figures of 1-19 from three overs, expressed her satisfaction at contributing to a strong bowling effort.

“Really pleasing to get out there with (Schutt) and taking the ball with her was really cool,” Garth said after the match.

Australia’s new-ball pair immediately put England under pressure, removing key batters early and forcing the hosts into recovery mode. While England rebuilt through Alice Capsey, Freya Kemp and Danielle Gibson, Australia’s bowlers maintained control throughout the innings.

For Garth, the outing was also an important step forward personally after a stop-start lead-up to the tournament.

“I felt a bit rusty last week, against South Africa, and then there was a bit of rain around, so nice to get out there again and bowling in a partnership with ‘Shooter’ is always good fun,” she added.

The seamer acknowledged the confidence she has gained from recent opportunities in Australian colours and stressed the importance of trusting her preparation heading into a major tournament.

“It’s really pleasing to get out there. Every time you play for Australia it’s very special, but I think I’ve taken a lot of confidence. It’s just about backing your skills in and all the work that you’ve done over (recent) months and then using these practice games to trial what you’ve been working on,” Garth stated.

Australia’s success was built on contributions across the squad. After the bowlers set up the contest, Beth Mooney’s brisk 43 and Ellyse Perry’s composed 64 anchored the chase, ensuring there were no late complications.

Garth felt the collective nature of the performance was particularly encouraging as Australia fine-tune preparations for their tournament opener against South Africa, as she said, “There were contributions across the board, with ball and bat, and to get the job done, quite convincingly in the end, was really pleasing.”

The six-time champions will now face the West Indies in their final warm-up fixture before beginning their quest for a record seventh T20 World Cup title later this week.

–IANS

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