Rookie pair highlight Australia's depth

Don't mess with a winning formula.

It's a familiar mantra among successful sporting teams and individuals from all parts of the world and all kinds of codes and competitions.

However, in Australia's crushing victory in the second T20I against Sri Lanka, the winning formula that has delivered unprecedented success over the past 18 months, was – ever so slightly – messed with.

With Delissa Kimmince and Ashleigh Gardner suffering from a few lingering niggles, Erin Burns and Nicola Carey came into the Australia XI to prove that any change to the makeup of the Australia line-up would not upset that rock-solid, winning formula.

It was a seamless adjustment as Burns and Carey both put in standout performances to power Australia to a commanding nine-wicket win to seal the T20I series in emphatic fashion.

Alyssa Healy, speaking after her 100th T20I in green and gold, said the quality on display from both Burns and Carey indicates the depth of Australia's female cricketing talent pool leading into the national side's busiest period, culminating with home T20 World Cup in February.

"I think every single person in this squad can contribute at any point in time,"  Healy said. 

"There's probably another eight or nine players that are outside this group putting their hand up and wanting selection for that T20 World Cup, so it's great to see that we've got the depth and the talent there that they can come out and perform when need be."

Allrounder Carey, playing in just her second T20I since her debut in 2018, certainly put her hand up to play plenty more in the coming days and months.

Producing an excellent spell to finish with 1-9 to equal the most economical four overs bowled in a women's T20I in Australia, Carey has been patiently waiting for her opportunity in the shortest format of the game and capitalised magnificently.

After running drinks for the duration of Australia's 2018 T20 World Cup triumph in the West Indies, as well as the T20 component of the recent Ashes win in England and the following series in the West Indies, it all came together on Monday night for Carey who picked up her first T20I wicket and was a central part of Australia's perfectly executed bowling and fielding plan.

Carey's stellar performance did not surprise Healy one bit. 

"She's been really good in that T20 format for a long period, especially in the WBBL," Healy said. 

"For her to get a crack tonight in the Aussie colours – she did herself no harm in putting her hand up for next game if DK (Kimmince) is not fit."

The outstanding display from the bowlers and fielders in the first innings to restrict the Sri Lankans to a modest total of just 4-84 in turn allowed for some experimenting, as Burns was promoted up the batting order in front of captain and usual first drop, Meg Lanning.

Batting alongside Sunday's century-maker Beth Mooney, Burns showed no sign of nerves in her first outing in Aussie colours on home soil to steer Australia confidently towards victory, fishing unbeaten on 30 and striking a sixth boundary to win the match.

"It was great to see Burnsy let loose tonight with the bat at the end of the night," Healy said.

"She's been such a great talent in our domestic system for a long period of time.

"Now that she's having a crack at being a full-time cricketer at 31, she's really flourishing."

With a fifth straight bilateral series in the bag for the Australians, it remains to be seen whether the XI will change again to give an opportunity to 22-year-old Heather Graham, who earned her first national squad call-up ahead of the tour to the West Indies.

"We've got Heather Graham sitting on the bench who hasn't had a crack in this series or the series just gone so I'm sure she'll be chomping at the bit as well," Healy said.

"I've got no doubt if she gets an opportunity she's going to come out and do the same job."

As the T20 World Cup draws closer, it appears that Australia are looking to arm themselves for whatever unexpected events may unfold.

Speaking prior to the series, Australia vice-captain Rachael Haynes said with the amount of cricket still to be played before the T20 World Cup in February, it is essential for the squad to be flexible.

"We've got a really big summer coming up and obviously that culminates in the World Cup at the end of it," Haynes said. 

"I'm sure we'll see different players take on different roles at times and that's a really good sign of where our group is at. I think there is multiple players that can take on that load."