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A heartwarming incident unfolded during the second ODI of the West Indies Women’s tour of Australia at the picturesque Junction Oval in Melbourne when Aussie women cricketers came together to help the ground workers, showcasing kindness and teamwork.
Australia’s dominance with the ball and rain interruption
Winning the toss and electing to field first, Australia seemed in complete control of the game as the West Indies women’s team found themselves struggling at 107-8 after 25.3 overs. Alana King (3/16) and Annabel Sutherland (3/6) were the chief destructors with the ball for the home team, wreaking havoc in the Windies camp. However, the cricketing gods had other plans for this game, and the match had to be halted due to rain.
It was during this unexpected break that the Australian women cricketers, including their skipper Alyssa Healy and Alana displayed an act of kindness that won hearts around the world.
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Australia women cricketers help groundstaff in a kind gesture
As the groundstaff at the Junction Oval scrambled to cover the pitch and protect it from the rain, the Australian women’s team decided to lend a helping hand. They joined the groundstaff in their efforts to ensure that the pitch was adequately covered despite the inevitable outcome of the match due to unfavourable weather. This act of solidarity between the athletes and the groundstaff was captured on video and soon went viral on the internet, leaving cricket fans touched by the sportsmanship displayed on and off the field.
Here’s the video:
The rain arrives and it's @auswomencricket to the rescue! 😂 #AUSvWI pic.twitter.com/K06SxdIz22
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 12, 2023
Despite the efforts from Australian women cricketers and groundstaff, the match was later ultimately abandoned due to bad weather. Nevertheless, the gesture from Healy and Co. was a testament to kindness and respect.
Alana King’s comments on the gesture
The star of the match, Alana, later spoke about the team’s heartwarming gesture and shared, “The poor groundies, I think they’re a few short tonight. We were just trying to help out the ground staff as much as we could; they were a bit short today, so we were trying to make light work, and everyone chipped in. I was wondering who was going to get flicked first with the massive gust of wind. We tried our best, but unfortunately, the rain just got too much.”
As the focus shifts to the third and final ODI between Australia and West Indies, cricket enthusiasts eagerly await more thrilling action on the field. With a win in the opening game, Australia will now look to seal the series, while West Indies will be determined to level the ODI leg, having already lost the T20 series.
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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
