Perry wants Australia to peak in Caribbean

After several "lacklustre" years of Twenty20 cricket, allrounder Ellyse Perry is confident Australia are poised to peak at the right time in next month's World T20 in the Caribbean.

Australia will seek a 3-0 series whitewash in the final game of their Commonwealth Bank Women's T20I series against New Zealand at Manuka Oval on Friday night, having already secured their first 20-over series win against their trans-Tasman rivals since 2012.

The World T20 begins on November 9 and Australia – who won three titles in a row before losing the 2016 final to West Indies – will be vying for their first piece of ICC silverware since 2014.

"I think we've been building over the last 12 months or so and really trying to identify our key style of cricket, exactly the way we want to play and the roles of every individual within the squad," Perry told SEN's Afternoons with Andy Maher on Thursday.

"I think we have some real clarity around that now which is good, because I think we had a couple of pretty lacklustre years really leading up to that, especially in T20 series.
 
"In a year when we have a World Cup, to have started the way we have in this series and played some great cricket is brilliant.
 
"It's the start of a long year and the most important thing is we play well at the right time over in the West Indies.
 
"But it's been pleasing (so far) I think, we've had contributions from everyone across the board at various times which has been awesome to see and more than anything, we've just really enjoyed playing as a team together."

 
Despite the dead-rubber status of Friday's game, the impending World Cup adds plenty of interest to the Manuka Oval fixture, which Australia a chance to unleash uncapped quick Tayla Vlaeminck and New Zealand searching for form after losing six of their past seven T20Is.

"We have been playing some really good cricket and it's nice to get a series win on home soil," Australia skipper Meg Lanning said on Thursday.

"We know our best game is still out there so that's what we'll be chasing Friday night."

Meanwhile, White Ferns captain Amy Satterthwaite said the mood in the New Zealand camp remained buoyant despite the series defeat, as they focus on building towards the tournament in the Caribbean.

"(The mood is) actually really good, having lost first two game puts us in a position that we didn't want to be in at all but the mood's really positive and I think we have to keep one eye looking forward to the World T20," Satterthwaite said.

"Having a bigger picture look about things helps us keep it a little bit in perspective.

"With one eye on the World T20, we will be looking to get the balance right and win the last game."

One positive for the White Ferns heading towards the World T20 is the continued development of 17-year-old leg-spinner Amelia Kerr.

While this series hasn't been Kerr's most successful with the ball, with the teenager coming in for some punishment from Australia's in-form top-order in the opening two matches, she did have something to celebrate on Monday when she captured the prize wicket of Lanning – the third time she's removed the Australian skipper in the last 18 months.

"I think for anyone to do, they would be pretty happy with how they're going, so I hope she's hopefully feeling really good about being able to knock over someone of that calibre a few times," Satterthwaite said.

"We know what Meg's like as a player and I'm sure she'll be working hard to ensure that it doesn't happen (again) and Amelia is still growing her game and developing as well.

"In a way you forget how young she is, you have to remind yourself she's still only a teenager.

"We're very lucky we've got someone like that with such a good temperament and she's able to produce match-winning performances for us as well."

CommBank T20 INTLs v NZ 

September 29: Australia win by six wickets

October 1: Australia win by six wickets

October 5: Third T20I, Manuka Oval, Canberra

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

New Zealand squad: Suzie Bates, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Sophie Devine, Kate Ebrahim, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Katey Martin, Amy Satterthwaite (c), Lea Tahuhu, Jess Watkin