With some senior players missing in action, Australia ushered six debutantes into their side against India but still comfortably won the series
New faces help Aussies make 'huge statement'
Beth Mooney says victory over India in a series that saw Australia hand out eight new caps is a "huge statement" regarding the state of women's cricket in this country.
After winning the third T20I at the Gold Coast's Metricon Stadium on Sunday night, Australia claimed the points-based, three-format series 11-5, and while Mooney paid tribute to a strong Indian showing, she was particularly enthused by the depth that has emerged within the hosts' squad.
And with a multi-format Ashes series to come in the new year, with the likely availability of Jess Jonassen, Rachael Haynes and Megan Schutt, there will be some tough personnel calls to be made.
"I'd hate to be a selector after this series," said Mooney, who emerged from the multi-format showdown as Australia's leading run-scorer, with 287 at 57.40.
"Every time someone got given an opportunity they absolutely stood up and put us in a position to win ... and that's what we speak about in this team, is match-winning performances, whether it's with bat, ball or in the field.
"So to see a number of people stick their hands up and do that on numerous occasions is really pleasing.
"I think it's a huge statement. India were exceptional at times during that series, and they really tested the depth within this Australian side, and it was great to see that depth come to the fore with those younger players debuting.
" ... 'T-Mac' (Tahlia McGrath) obviously debuting in T20 cricket ... (looked) like she'd been doing it for years.
"I think it's a really exciting sign for what's to come in this summer of cricket, ending in the World Cup in New Zealand."
Australia's debutantes against India: Hannah Darlington (ODI, T20I), Stella Campbell (ODI, Test), Annabel Sutherland, Darcie Brown, Georgia Wareham (Test), Tahlia McGrath (T20I)
Mooney, who top-scored last night with 61 from 47 in Australia's 14-run win, said the standard of competition in the Women's WBBL was a major factor in the hosts being able to throw their rookies into the international mix and expect them to perform – a point that was, perhaps consequently, more evident in the white-ball formats than the Test.
"That experience for those players in (the WBBL), coming up against the best players in the world ... it presents a great opportunity for a lot of players to be put under the pump in different scenarios, and hopefully they can show what they do best," she said.
"I have no doubt that (the quality of WBBL cricket) impacted the way I started my international career; I certainly wouldn't have come in in those early days being as confident as I was playing against some of the best players in the world (without that experience), so the WBBL is huge.
"The battle-hardening we get from playing in it, and exposing ourselves to really tough contests and tight games ... and also learning about our own game, I think that's really important."
Mooney conceded the six-point margin at series' end was not an accurate reflection of the way the seven matches unfolded, after India dominated both the Test and the washed-out first T20I which only resulted in the sides splitting six crucial points.
But after the visitors blazed their way to 4-131 after 15.2 overs in that opening T20I, Australia's bowling group fought back impressively in games two and three.
"The scoreline suggests that we ran away with it, but I think it was much closer than that," the opening batter said.
"I think the bowlers have done an outstanding job in the last couple of games. We knew in that first game that they would come out and play that way – they've shown their hand a little bit in games in the last 12 months and prior to the World Cup in that tri-series.
"They're a real threat in international cricket, they've got a great line-up with their batting and a really settled line-up with the ball as well.
"They play an exciting brand of cricket, so playing in those games just presents an opportunity for (our) players to be put in different scenarios."
The Australians – and eight of their Indian rivals – are set to fly to Hobart today ahead of the Weber WBBL|07, which begins on Thursday with a clash between the Sydney Sixers and the Melbourne Stars.
CommBank Series v India
Australia beat India 11-5 on points
Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Darcie Brown, Maitlan Brown, Stella Campbell, Nicola Carey, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Redmayne, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham
India T20I squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Yastika Bhatia, Shikha Pandey, Meghna Singh, Pooja Vastrakar, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav, Richa Ghosh (wk), Harleen Deol, Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, Renuka Singh.
First ODI:Australia won by nine wickets
Second ODI: Australia won by five wickets
Third ODI: India won by two wickets
One-off Test: Match drawn
Oct 7: No result
Oct 9: Australia won by four wickets
Oct 10: Australia won by 14 runs