Haynes maintains Aussie gains

If the performances of Australia's batting line-up since arriving in the United Kingdom are anything to go by, there could be some very large totals in the offing once their Women's World Cup campaign officially gets underway next week.

In three warm-up matches, both Ellyse Perry and Elyse Villani have scored centuries, Beth Mooney and Nicole Bolton have posted fifties, Alex Blackwell and Alyssa Healy put on 54 runs in 21 balls against South Africa, and Meg Lanning is, well, Meg Lanning.

And if that isn't comforting enough for Australia's coaches and selectors ahead of their tournament opener against West Indies on Monday, they need only look to one other name in their 15-player squad: Rachael Haynes.

Australia's leading run scorer at the 2013 World Cup in India, the veteran NSW batter earned back her place in the ODI squad earlier this year after a three-year absence, called in as a late replacement with Blackwell and Perry both recovering from injuries.

She made the most of the unexpected opportunity, scoring a half-century in her return match in Auckland.

An untimely ankle injury meant she played no further part in that series against New Zealand, but it was enough for the 31-year-old to reclaim an Australian contract and win a place in the World Cup squad.

"It's awesome to be back here, I'm really enjoying myself and it's great to be back among the team again," Haynes said as Australia prepare for Monday's opening game against West Indies in Taunton.

Breaking into Australia's in-form batting line-up will be no easy task, but Haynes made her own case with an exciting cameo against Pakistan on Thursday – striking two big sixes over mid-wicket – and should her services be called on, she is confident she can make a big impact with the bat.

"I couldn't resist that against the leg-spinner and with the short boundary," she said with a laugh.

"It was nice to hit a couple of them cleanly and if I get an opportunity in the middle, it'd be nice to produce something similar to that, but it was also just nice to score some runs.

"I'm feeling really positive about where I'm at and happy to be here, and if I get an opportunity I'll be ready to go.

"I'll see what happens throughout the competition.

"The whole group is going really well, so no doubt whoever gets out on the park will do a good job."

If she isn't picked in that first XI to meet the Windies, the simple fact that a player of Haynes' caliber is available and ready to go whenever called upon will be a huge positive for the Australian selectors.

"I'm glad (selecting the team) is not my job, that's for sure," Haynes said.

"It's a really good position to be in, I think if we were over here and things weren't quite going well, you'd be wondering who's going to get a chance, but to see lots of batters executing and playing the style we want to produce, that's a good position to be in."

One person backing Haynes to make an impact if given the chance is former Australian and NSW teammate Lisa Sthalekar.

"She's had a lot of success over in England," Sthalekar told cricket.com.au's Unplayable Podcast.

"She likes those conditions and she is calm under pressure, which is what you need out there in a World Cup campaign."