Healy pledges to 'up the ante' in final ODI

Australia’s batters are itching for time in the middle with captain Alyssa Healy declaring her team will push the boundaries if given the chance in Sunday’s third and final ODI.

The hosts chased down a target of 84 for the loss of two wickets in the first one-dayer then were denied a chance to bat on Thursday when rained washed out the second during the West Indies’ innings.

Wet weather is also forecast for the series finale – but far less than the 10mm that fell on Junction Oval two days prior.

If rain is thought likely to impact Saturday’s fixture it will no doubt factor into the decision made by the winning captain at the toss, but Healy said if Australia did find themselves batting first, there would be no complaints from her batting line-up.

"Some time in the middle would be nice," Healy said after Thursday’s washout.

"I think we'd probably just look to up the ante … we speak a lot about setting the game up in in that first 10 overs.

"We know that's when it is the hardest time to bat when the ball is doing the most.

"But once we get through that hard period it's about setting the game up for either yourself to cash in or our pretty aggressive middle-order to come in and churn out the runs.

"So, from that point of view, it's just upping in the ante and making sure our intent is there to score and score heavily when the opportunities arise.

"We'll wait and see how the coin falls on Saturday, but if we get out there to have a bat I'm sure the girls will be chomping at the bit."

Windies skipper Hayley Matthews is expected to lead the visitors in the series finale, having recovered from a quad injury to play on Thursday.

Shortly after, she will swap allegiances to the Melbourne Renegades, where she will become teammates with Australian leg-spinner Georgia Wareham.

The Aussie squad enjoyed a day off on Friday and Healy said making the most of rare gaps in the schedule would be essential in the coming months, with the Weber WBBL to begin next Thursday and multi-format series against India (away) and South Africa (home) to follow across December, January and February.

"Looking at the summer ahead, any opportunities to switch off and get away from the game are going to be really important and I hopefully our group utilises that and just comes back in on Saturday fresh and ready to go, because as we know WBBL starts in a week's time so it's a hectic schedule," Healy said.

"(On Saturday) we're just looking to come out here and be as clinical as what we have in the last two games."

CommBank ODIs v West Indies 2023

First ODI: Australia won by eight wickets

Second ODI: Washed out

Third ODI: October 14, Junction Oval, 10.05am AEDT

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

West Indies squad: Hayley Matthews (c), Shemaine Campbelle (vc), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Afy Fletcher, Cherry Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams