Aussies set target of making 200-plus totals commonplace

Australia's new-look women's coaching panel have given their side the freedom to push the envelope of T20 cricket as the reigning world champions seek to extend their dominance in the format.

Shelley Nitschke, on her first assignment at the helm of Australia's all-powerful women's team, believes the fresh coaching department will present an opportunity for both collective and individual growth as they seek to conquer a new frontier at the Commonwealth Games later this month.

Nitschke, appointed interim head coach after Matthew Mott's departure to lead England's white-ball sides, is at the forefront of the coaching trio that is completed by new, but similarly familiar assistant coaches in Jude Coleman and Dan Marsh.

Ahead of Australia's first match of the T20I Tri-Series in Ireland that will serve as preparation for their push for Comm Games gold, Nitschke explained the coaching reset also offers the team the chance to explore a fresh approach to the format.

"It's about giving the players the opportunity to speak about where we're at as a team, and where I think we're at individually, and where we can improve and take our game to the next level as a group," Nitschke told reporters from Ireland on Friday.

"We've had some changes in coaching staff and that presents opportunities to do things a little bit differently."

Elaborating on what pushing the boundaries of T20 cricket might entail, Nitschke declared that scoring over 200 is a recurring goal for the reigning T20 World Cup champions.

However, not since Alyssa Healy's then world-record 148no against Sri Lanka in October 2019, which drove the team's total to 2-226, have Australia managed to push the dial past 200 in a T20I.

That being said, opportunities in the format have been somewhat lacking for Meg Lanning's side, with the team having played just three T20 internationals in the past year.

"To say that we want to score 200, I think we probably always want to do that, but it's about assessing the conditions and making sure we're maximising the par scores and beyond that," Nitschke said.

Australia got its first look at Bready Cricket Club on Friday ahead of tomorrow's first T20I against Pakistan (1am Sunday AEST), with the batting group put through their paces on the centre wicket in wintery and overcast Derry conditions.

Nitschke said the Australian selectors would come together after assessing the conditions in Derry to finalise the makeup of the playing XI.

Australia's famed top order, coming off a remarkable stint of success in the 50-over format, is likely to look slightly different in the shorter format of the game, with Nitschke insisting that the line-up remains flexible and will be tailored depending on conditions and the stage of the game.

Beth Mooney, who missed the T20 leg of the recent Women's Ashes with a broken jaw, is expected to resume her position at the top the order alongside Alyssa Healy, with Lanning, Tahlia McGrath, Rachael Haynes and Ashleigh Gardner expected to follow.

Meanwhile, the door is ajar for Grace Harris, a dynamic batter who also bowls off-spin, to fill the void created by the absence of left-arm finger spinner Jess Jonassen, who contracted COVID before the squad's departure from Australia.

Superstar allrounder Ellyse Perry, playing as a batter only due to a back injury, is also no certainty to return having been left out of Australia's most recent T20I against England in Adelaide in January.

Image Id: 0995DEE3F4A04CF296CD0D750C9AF0EA Image Caption: Perry and Nitschke at training in Ireland on Thursday // Nick Price-cricket.com.au

"I think we've got some really good options, we've got some players with a lot of versatility … (and) some left/right-hand options as well," Nitshcke said.

"'T-Mac' (McGrath) has obviously put her hand up the recent times in the T20 format.

"It's more so about what's happening in the game at any particular time and who's our best option to send in.

"That's nothing new for us, we are pretty flexible and have a reasonably fluid order there to suit the conditions."

Australia's Tour of the UK, 2022

Australia's squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington

T20 Tri-Series

Ireland squad: Laura Delany (c), Ava Canning, Rachel Delaney, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis, Sophie MacMahon, Jane Maguire, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Rebecca Stokell, Mary Waldron

Pakistan squad: Bismah Maroof (c), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gul Feroza, Iram Javed, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Tuba Hassan

July 16: Australia v Pakistan

July 17: Australia v Ireland

July 19: Ireland v Pakistan

July 21: Australia v Ireland

July 23: Australia v Pakistan

July 24: Ireland v Pakistan

All matches start 4pm local time (1am AEST) and played at Bready Cricket Club, Derry, Northern Ireland

Australia’s T20 tri-series matches will be broadcast in Australia on Foxtel and Kayo, while the games between Pakistan and Ireland can be watched via live stream 

2022 Commonwealth Games

July 29 v India (11am local time, 8pm AEST)

July 31 v Barbados (6pm local, 3am Aug 1 AEST)

August 3 v Pakistan (11am local, 8pm AEST)

Group A: Australia, India, Pakistan, Barbados

Group B: England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka

Semi-finals: August 6, 11am local (8pm AEST) and 6pm local (3am Aug 7 AEST)

Bronze medal match: August 7, 10am local (7pm AEST)

Gold medal match: August 7, 5pm local (2am Aug 8 AEST)

All matches played at Edgbaston Stadium