Ruthless Aussies aim to keep White Ferns pinned down

Silverware in safekeeping and their longest-ever winning streak over New Zealand achieved, Australia will nonetheless maintain the ruthlessness that has seen them surge to the top of the world when they go in with what is again expected to be an unchanged XI for Wednesday's final T20I in Brisbane.

Pending the fitness of her fast bowlers, captain Meg Lanning did not see any likelihood of changes, meaning tomorrow's match could see the same XI take the field for the fifth consecutive match; a feat of reliability made all the more impressive given more than six months separate games two and three in that sequence.

Head coach Matthew Mott and selectors have been reluctant to change a winning formula in recent years, their experimentations with personnel much more the exception than the rule. Mott said as much during the Ashes last year. Perhaps still haunted by defeats in the final two matches of the previous Ashes series after Australia had retained the trophy, he was adamant his charges finished that campaign in style.

"We talk a bit about finishing teams off and it really has been a motivating factor for the last while in how we've played the game and in all the series we've played since (that Ashes)," he said.

"We want the intensity on the last day of the series to be as good as the first."

That intensity has not dissipated with time. The most recent 'other' faces in this team have been the injured Ellyse Perry (who has not played since tearing her hamstring against New Zealand in the World Cup in March, and who will miss this final T20I and the ODI series that follows with more hamstring trouble) and 18-year-old allrounder Annabel Sutherland, who has been tipped by Lanning – among many others – for a long international career.

Injured Victorian Tayla Vlaeminck, who offers something unique with her express pace, has been one of a select few players to force her way into the side across the past two years, while spin-bowling allrounder Erin Burns has played a minor role, generally as an injury replacement.

Selectors have regularly eschewed opportunities to hand younger players experience in dead rubbers. Wednesday's game against the White Ferns might have been viewed as a chance to trial one or both of pace bowlers Belinda Vakarewa and Maitlan Brown, or allrounder Tahlia McGrath.

Instead it looks set to be the foot-on-their-throats approach as Australia chase higher standards and a clean sweep – the mentality Mott has fostered and which Lanning says has spread within the group.

Certainly, it has been evident in the media in the past week, with opener Beth Mooney declaring this Australia side wants to be "the greatest ever" and wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy talking of a mental edge having been established over the White Ferns.

"I think we've developed that (ruthlessness) over a period of time," Lanning said. "The drive for us to get better is still there, which is great to see, especially given the success we've had over the last few years.

"We don't feel like we've played our best game yet – we've got a lot to work on with bat and ball.

"New Zealand are going to come back hard at us – they've got some real match-winners in their side – so we do need to step it up again and hopefully we see that tomorrow.

"We need to keep getting better, we've got a year now to continue to do that before we get to 2022, which is going to be massive for us.

"It's really exciting that that's ahead of us."

CommBank T20I and ODI series

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

New Zealand squad: Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Natalie Dodd, Deanna Doughty, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jensen, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Hannah Rowe, Amy Satterthwaite, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Watkin

All matches to be played at Brisbane's Allan Border Field

First T20: Australia won by 17 runs

Second T20: Australia won by eight wickets

September 30: Third T20, 1:45pm AEST

October 3: First ODI, 10:10am AEST

October 5: Second ODI, 10:10am AEST (11:10 AEDT)

October 7: Third ODI, 10:10am AEST (11:10 AEDT)

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