Adelaide, Feb 2 On the verge of completing 200 international appearances for Australia during their ODI series opener against South Africa at her home ground Adelaide Oval on Saturday, pacer Megan Schutt feels that despite the game having more failure than success, she just loves being in the sport.
Megan will become just the sixth women’s cricketer from Australia to play 200 international matches, joining a coveted club featuring Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy, Alex Blackwell, Meg Lanning and Jess Jonassen.
"I love the game – it’s a stupid game, and there's so much more failure than success, but I just love it, I love the people that are involved and it's a game that keeps evolving as well. I keep striving to be better and being a fast bowler in a batter's game it is quite tough, but I like the challenge.
"As long as my body holds out and as long as Cricket Australia want me (I’ll keep going) … admittedly it's a bit harder to get out of bed in the mornings but I'll keep pushing hard at the gym, doing what I can to keep getting a contract and keep playing. I've been fortunate enough to be number one bowler in the world. I'd love to retake that again before I retire," said Megan to reporters.
Since her ODI debut in December 2012, Megan has won World Cups in both white-ball formats with Australia, has been a member of Ashes winning side at home and away conditions, along with a Commonwealth Games gold medal in the women’s T20 event. In ODIs, she has picked 260 wickets in 87 ODIs.
"It makes you feel a bit old, to be honest. Game one, I didn't even expect to play that in my lifetime. To get to 200 is pretty darn cool, and I think having it at Adelaide Oval is fate in itself and extremely special. I think the most rewarding part is being a bowler and having played that much cricket.
"There's not many players around that have played as much cricket as I have in that sense – I guess not being an express pace bowler helps me but I think doing that as a bowler is probably a special achievement," she added.
Megan also said that Australia aren’t taking South Africa lightly ahead of the ODI series commencement. "That T20 series was a cracking one - I think it's showing the evolution of the game in the way they're taking it to us and I expect them to do the exact same thing in the 50-over format."
"I think we just have good balance – we’re pretty fortunate that if someone goes down with injury, someone slips in and, and transitions really easy into that spot. The depth that we have in Australian cricket (is something) we're pretty fortunate to have. Everyone knows their roles and obviously lots of planning and opposition analysis comes into that (too)," she said.
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