AUSTRALIAN bowler Kim Garth had a stellar series against the West Indies, which culminated in her picking up both the Player of the Match for yesterday’s third ODI and Player of the Series.

She said that despite what the stats might say, she believes her bowling improved as the series went on.

“I’m very pleased,” she said.

“I think if you look at results figures wise it probably suggests I bowled best at the start of the series but I actually don’t feel that in terms of how I feel, I feel like I’ve improved throughout the series.

“In that first game I was probably bowling a bit wide of the stumps and then I felt as the series progressed I got onto a better rhythm and probably bowled my best today. Really pleasing for me in that I’m trending in the right direction I guess and we hit some really good bowling performances as a unit more importantly.”

Despite seeming to have a knack for getting the dangerous West Indies skipper Hayley Matthews out, Garth still does not think she does.

“It was actually really nice to bowl on a Junction wicket that offered a bit for the bowlers,” Garth said. “I’ve played a lot of cricket here now and it’s usually flat as anything. Flat as a pancake as we say back home, but as I said it’s nice to bowl on a wicket with a bit in it and I really just put it in the right area and got one to cut back nicely. Thankfully, because obviously she’s the danger woman and had a fantastic series, so nice to get her early.”

Garth agreed the series had done a lot for her self belief that she belongs in the Australian team.

“Since coming into the Australian team it’s been absolutely incredible what as a result of that actually I haven’t played as much cricket as I have done over the past few years,” Garth said. “Cricket is a funny game that plays games with your head, so the more time you spend sitting on the sidelines thinking about it, the more you kind of talk yourself into things or out of things, so to be able to get out there and execute and perform is really pleasing for me.”

It has been a huge 12 to 18 months for Garth, who has come a long way since swapping international teams from Ireland to Australia.

“It’s really cool, it’s very exciting,” she said. “I still kind of have to pinch myself a bit. I think I’ve been in and around the squad for almost a year, which you know is super exciting and every time you get to go out there it’s very special.

“I suppose in terms of differences in the Irish squad, when I left the Irish set-up we weren’t full-time professionals, so that’s probably the main difference in terms of just the amount of time spent training and all that kind of stuff. I’m absolutely loving my time with the Australian squad and long may it last I suppose.”