Red-hot Haynes providing Australia's 'blueprint'

Rachael Haynes has provided the blueprint for her top-order teammates as Australia look to cement their berth in the World Cup semi-finals with a win over India on Saturday.

Haynes is the tournament's leading run scorer with 227 from four innings, including 130 against England and an unbeaten 83 against West Indies.

Australia had already identified greater contributions from the top four as an area for improvement after winning their first four games of the tournament – particularly after finding themselves in trouble at 3-56 and 3-58 against New Zealand and West Indies respectively.

Saturday's game will pit them against the game's leading female ODI wicket taker Jhulan Goswami and her new-ball partner Meghna Singh.

Goswami, a 39-year-old veteran playing in her fifth World Cup, enjoyed success against Australia's top-order during a three-game series in Mackay in October, removing each of Haynes, Alyssa Healy and first drop Meg Lanning throughout the series.

"I see them as an incredibly dangerous side," Mott said on Friday.

"We are rolling with some confidence at the moment ... but everything that we're talking about at the moment is about how we can combat India. I think they've got one of the best new-ball bowling attacks in the world and I think we found that out (earlier in the summer).

"So negating that and trying to build a base is very important."

Haynes had an indifferent run during the ODI leg of the Ashes in February, scoring four from 13 deliveries, 10 from 20, and 31 from 46.

However her patience and willingness to take time building her innings have worked in her favour in New Zealand; during her century against England in Hamilton her first fifty runs came from 73 deliveries, while her remaining 80 came off 58.

"Essentially I think she's just giving herself time," Mott said.

"We've played a lot of T20 cricket in the last couple of years, but in one-day cricket from a batting perspective, the old cliche is you've got more time than you think.

"What she's done has invested some balls early, respected some of the opening attacks that we've come up against and given herself an opportunity to spend time in the middle and adjust the conditions.

"The way she's batted is pretty much the blueprint for our top four.

"We talk a lot about the top four doing the bulk of the work, and then we can finish off late with some of the power hitting we've got towards the back end.

"She's an ultimate professional, she knows her game really well ... she hit the least of anyone today (at training) which is always a good sign that she's in good form."

Looking ahead to Saturday's day-night match at Eden Park, India opener Smriti Mandhana said removing Haynes early would be crucial to disrupting the rest of Australia's line-up.

India have two wins from four matches to date in the tournament and desperately need to collect the two points on offer to keep themselves in touch with their fellow semi-final hopefuls.

"They have a lot of batters who go out there and want to express themselves, and want to be aggressive," Mandhana said.

"She's the one who helps (bring) balance in the team ... if we get her early tomorrow, it will be a very good start because if you get her out then the batting line-up gets a bit disturbed."

ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022

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

Australia's World Cup 2022 fixtures

Mar 5: Beat England by 12 runs

Mar 8: Beat Pakistan by seven wickets

Mar 13: Beat New Zealand by 141 runs

Mar 15: Beat West Indies by seven wickets

Mar 19: v India, Eden Park, Auckland, 12pm AEDT

Mar 22: v South Africa, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

Mar 25: v Bangladesh, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL WORLD CUP SCHEDULE

Semi-finals

Mar 30: Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

Mar 31: Hagley Park Christchurch, 12pm AEDT

Final

Apr 3: Hagley Park Christchurch, 11am AEDT

All matches to be broadcast in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports