Garth relishing key role as Aussies refine T20WC preparations

Australia looks on track to be a major player at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 after a strong five-wicket win against hosts England in Cardiff.

Their new ball bowlers helped lay strong foundations, as Kim Garth and Megan Schutt put the clamps on England to take three early wickets, including the crucial scalps of Danni Wyatt-Hodge and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt.

Australia secured a five-wicket win over hosts England in Cardiff.

Australia restricted England to 157/6 before reaching their target with relative ease and 10 balls to spare.

Depth has never been a concern for the Aussies and that proved true in Cardiff, as Kim Garth (1/19 off three overs) stepped up as a front line bowler. She relished being handed the new rock alongside Schutt (2/20 off three), with the pair delivering early.

"Really pleasing to get out there with (Schutt) and taking the ball with her was really cool," Garth said post-match.

"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.

"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.

"There were contributions across the board, with ball and bat, and to get the job done, quite convincingly in the end, was really pleasing."

Spinner Alana King had success in the middle overs, taking 2/10 from two overs, while with the bat it was Ellyse Perry's 64 off 44 balls and Beth Mooney's 43 off 26, with two sixes, that orchestrated their successful chase.

While the result didn't go their way, England got plenty out of the match. Sciver-Brunt was particularly impressed by the resilience displayed by the middle order to fight back from early innings adversity.

"In the middle, we had some great partnerships to get us up to a great score," she said post-game.

"I think from where we were at the end of the Powerplay, we got to a great score."

Alice Capsey helped resurrect England's batting innings, banging 45 from 36 in the middle overs. Her form heading into the World Cup has Sciver-Brunt pleased.

"(Capsey) seems really clear about what she wants to do and how she wants to go about it," she continued.

"Really committed to her shots as well, so the rest of us could learn a little thing or two from her. Hopefully she doesn't waste (all her runs) in the warm-up games. But it's great to have people in form leading into a tournament.

"(I) was a bit rusty out there. So good to get the first (warm-up game) out of the way."

England will continue their tournament preparations when they meet India in another warm-up clash in Cardiff on Wednesday, while the Aussies will take on the West Indies in their final hitout before the T20 World Cup officially kicks off this weekend.