This Wellington worships Warne

In the women’s Ashes Test at Sydney three months ago, she bowled a leg-break that would have made Tammy Beaumont, who lost her off bail, empathise with Mike Gatting — ‘the ball of the century’ victim.

Australian leggie Wellington in action against India at the Reliance Cricket Stadium in Vadodara on Monday.

Amanda-Jade Wellington wasn't born when Shane Warned bowled the ball of the century to Mike Getting in the 1993 Ashes Test at Old Trafford. He is, however, her biggest idol; she keeps going back to his videos on YouTube.

In the women’s Ashes Test at Sydney three months ago, she bowled a leg-break that would have made Tammy Beaumont, who lost her off bail, empathise with Gatting. It became a talking point on the internet.

Though it wasn’t quite in the class of the immortal delivery of Warne— the comparison made by some fans notwithstanding — it was a classical ball any leg-spinner, regardless of gender, wouldn’t perhaps mind bowling.

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“That remains my favourite wicket,” says Wellington, who took three for 24 to help Australia beat India in the first ODI here on Tuesday. “The social media blew it up. But, no, my life hasn’t changed after that ball.”

The 20-year-old adds she was very happy to play that Test match, her first. “Test cricket is the pinnacle of this sport,” she says. “I got to bowl 34 overs in a row and I loved it.”

She loved bowling against the India too. “I am happy with my performance,” she says. “There were also fantastic performances from Nicole Bolton and Jess Jonassen.”

Wellington is also excited about the prospects of playing men’s cricket. She has been selected by Port Adelaide.

She could have made her debut for the club this season itself, if the weather hadn’t intervened. “I was privileged enough to get picked by Port Adelaide,” she says. “I was really looking forward to the challenges of playing men’s cricket, but the pitch was a bit wet. I hope I get picked again next year.”

She has already worked with one big name in men’s cricket. She trained with Rashid Khan, the leg-spinning sensation from Afghanistan at the nets of Adelaide Strikers. “The experience itself was incredible,” she says. “He basically explained to me how to bowl the wrong one.”

It may not be long before she gets that right too, given her talent and determination. And that would not be good news for the batters.