Why Perry is batting low down at the World Cup

World Cups capture the imaginations of people all over the world, I experienced that first hand this week.

I've spent the past few weeks in Papua New Guinea's capital city of Port Moresby as part of my new role as coach of the country's national women's team.

Walking into the changerooms the day after Australia's win against Sri Lanka, I was met with a barrage of questions from the PNG players that are very similar to some of the questions we've been hearing from media and fans since Australia's World Cup campaign started.

"Why is Ellyse Perry batting so low?"

"Will Australia still win the World Cup?"

"How good were Rachael Haynes' two sixes!"

From afar, it's easy to question the decision to bat Perry at six or seven, but it's important to consider the balance of the Australian side and their style of play.

Perry's record in the Rebel Women's Big Bash League is outstanding. With 2612 runs to her name, she is the competition's all-time leading run-scorer with an average of 53.3 and a strike rate of 105.53.

She is a proven performer in the T20 format at international level. I believe she can play any batting role within the team, but she isn't the only one in the Australian team with this ability.

Matthew Mott has so many options. Perhaps too many.

Without considering the balance of the side, I believe Perry's best position is at the top of the batting order.

She is a T20 player who plays 'proper cricket shots'. She has a low-risk approach, can easily score boundaries off good bowling and can move through the gears later in the innings and up the run rate as required.

However, Australia have been developing an attacking style of play, centred around the hugely successful opening partnership between Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney.

Healy is the aggressor, playing without fear and taking on bowling in the Powerplay, regardless of the situation.

I've coined Mooney the team's Swiss Army Knife, meaning she can play a variety of roles for Australia.

If the situation demands all-out attack, Mooney is able to match Healy's aggression.

If the team are chasing a moderate total, Mooney plays the anchor role, building partnerships and moving through the gears as needed.

Beyond the two openers, Matthew Mott has indicated there is a certain flexibility to Australia's batting order that will be exercised depending on how the innings unfolds.

If Australia lose a wicket in the Powerplay, enter Ashleigh Gardner. I think Mott sees Gardner's power-hitting approach and her ability to 'step and hit' as a means of maximising runs in the Powerplay.

If the first wicket falls outside the Powerplay, Mott sends in captain Meg Lanning as the No.3 batter.

This flexibility in Australia's batting order is dependent on the situation, specific match-ups and is all about winning with each player playing their role.

I believe this is the magic of the Australian women's team; players fulfilling their role for the team, without self-interest.

You often hear players delivering the old cliché of 'I'll play whatever role the team needs me to'.

But when a team is genuinely united in this approach, it's a beautiful thing and something I always loved about being a member of the Australian team.

It's true that Australia's attacking style of play won't always work, and batters won't always fire.

But cricket is a team sport, which is why Australia needs a variety of options.

Australia's close encounters in this T20 World Cup so far prove this point. No longer can the best teams sit back and hope that employing the same tactics will see them continue their winning ways.

So will Australia stick with this same flexibility in approach? It's looking likely.

I would like to see Lanning bat at No.3 regardless of the situation. She can play both the aggressor and anchor role well.

One thing I do know is every member of the Australia team will do their upmost to play the role that has been asked of them and commit to Australia's game plan.

And here in Port Moresby, I will continue to smile when the Papua New Guinean girls pretend to be Healy as they hit over the top, and Perry when they straight drive along the carpet.

This is why I love World Cup cricket!

2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

February 21:India won by 17 runs

February 24: Australia won by five wickets

February 27: Australia v Bangladesh, Manuka Oval 

March 2: Australia v New Zealand, Junction Oval

March 5: Semi-final 1 & Semi-final 2, SCG

March 8: Final, MCG

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE

* All matches will be broadcast on Fox Cricket and Kayo, while Australia’s matches will also be broadcast on the Nine Network