Lanning Excited To Learn From Past Greats

Lanning Excited To Learn From Past Greats

Meg Lanning, the Australian women's captain, says her team will have the 'perfect preparation' ahead of attempting a record seventh World title.

The 15-player Australian squad is based in Queensland preparing for the tournament before departing for the UK on June 10. They are fine-tuning preparations at Maroochydore Cricket Club in the Sunshine Coast after practicing at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane.

Speaking to reporters on Monday (May 29), Lanning said the squad would be spending valuable time out in the middle. "We've been here (on the Sunshine coast) a couple of times now and each time we've found the facilities amazing, the hospitality is great and the sun is out as well," she said. "It gives us the perfect preparation for the World Cup. We're heading towards match scenarios now, we'll play a 40-over intra-squad match today.

"We've done a lot of training in the nets and on specific skill work, but now it's time to get into the games, which is what we all love," she added. "There's going to be some great competition out there."

For added inspiration, the squad will mingle with members of Australia's previous World Cup-winning teams at a special reunion event in Brisbane before they depart for the UK. Lanning said she would seek advice from previous Australian greats. "I think it's a great chance to learn from those players who have been there and done it before, probably under some difficult circumstances at times," she said. "It definitely wasn't anywhere near professional when we were winning those World Cups a while ago.

"We're very excited as a group to be able to meet the players who have been successful in the past and see if we can learn as much as we can, because World Cups are very special and different to what we're used to," she added.

Australia begin their World Cup campaign on June 26 against the West Indies in Taunton.