Time in the middle key for Healy ahead of blockbuster Ashes

Alyssa Healy says time in the middle will be critical ahead of next month’s Ashes, as she prepares to return from injury as a specialist bat in the one-day series against New Zealand.

The Australia captain will return to her position at the top of the ODI order that she has occupied since 2017, while Beth Mooney will continue to keep wicket throughout the three-game series, which begins on Thursday's at Wellington’s Basin Reserve.

Healy played just four games in Weber WBBL|10 before she was sidelined with a knee injury, while her T20 World Cup was cut short after three group games when she ruptured her plantar fascia.

She is hopeful of playing all three games in Wellington but will be assessed on a game-by-game basis.

"I won't be wicketkeeping this series ... but there's not a lot of cricket leading into the Ashes, so for me, it's an opportunity to try and get back on the park, as a batter, and try and find some runs more importantly," Healy told reporters in Wellington on Wednesday.

"I feel like I've hardly played any cricket for the last eight or nine months and there's a good opportunity to do that.

"The knee's tracking well, it's just a day-by-day thing, and we'll just assess as we go."

Healy’s return to the top of the order will likely mean recent debutant Georgia Voll will be the unlucky player to drop out of the XI, following an outstanding first international series against India where she hit 46no, 101 and 26.

Voll is a specialist top-order batter in domestic 50-over cricket, however she has batted throughout the order in T20s, and Healy said there was the potential the Queenslander could play a different role in Australia's XI.

"It's a bit stiff on whoever might miss out, considering the batting line's been doing a great job," Healy said.

"We'll go into every game picking our best batting line-up.

"So there's obviously spots up for grabs (and) I can see (Voll) playing a role, wherever it might be."

This will be Australia’s final series ahead of a brief Christmas break, before they come back into camp in the new year ahead of the first Ashes ODI on January 12.

The looming showdown against England, combined with a compressed schedule in New Zealand that has three ODIs in five days, would see Australia rotate their bowling attack across the matches, Healy said.

"(It's about giving) opportunities as well ... not that our focus is solely on the Ashes, but there's not a lot of cricket between now and then for everybody, and opportunities are limited in that regard.

"The more we can give people opportunity throughout this series - obviously we've looking to win it first and foremost - but if everyone gets on the park at some point and has a good run around, I think it'd be a good thing."

Australia will meet a White Ferns side filled with confidence following claiming their maiden T20 World Cup title in the United Arab Emirates in October, while a record crowd is being tipped for Thursday’s series opener, with tickets made available for free as a celebration of their historic tournament triumph.

New Zealand last won a bilateral ODI series against Australia in 1999, and their last win over the Aussies in the format was back in 2017.

White Ferns captain Sophie Devine said she was desperate to add the coveted Rose Bowl to her team’s trophy cabinet.

"It's well overdue, but we also know the challenge we're up against and we know that we're going to have to be at our best to win at least two games to get that cup back," Devine said on Wednesday.

"Anytime Australia play New Zealand, there's just that rivalry.

"That's what makes it exciting for everyone to watch, you want that bit of competition, a bit of banter, a bit of hardy sledging and whatnot.

"The mutual respect as well, is something that I think is really important, and I think it's certainly something that is played always in the right spirit.

"This is our first opportunity to play back up at home as T20 world champions ... we've got close to 4000 expected to come through, so now we just need the Wellington weather gods to play ball as well."

New Zealand head into the series without veteran quick Lea Tahuhu due to a hamstring tear, but have welcomed back fellow pace bowler Rosemary Mair for her first one-day series since March.

Mair was a standout with the ball at the T20 World Cup, and will be key to New Zealand’s hopes of upsetting the top-ranked Australians.

"She's been huge," Devine said of right-arm quick Mair.

"She's been managing a back niggle for a number of months now, and she's more excited than anyone else to be able to be let rip.

"We saw at the World Cup how effective and how damaging she was with the ball and the opportunity for her to do that over an extended period of time in the 50-over format is really exciting.

"She's been going really well in domestic cricket, too (and) she's certainly going to be a spearhead especially with Lea Tahuhu missing out."

Commbank tour of New Zealand

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

New Zealand squad: Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Lauren Down, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bella James, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold

First ODI: December 19: Basin Reserve, Wellington, 9am AEDT

Second ODI: December 21: Basin Reserve, Wellington, 9am AEDT

Third ODI: December 23: Basin Reserve, Wellington, 9am AEDT

The rivalry resumes with a blockbuster series in Australia from Jan 12 - Feb 2. Learn about the remarkable 90-year history at the Women's Ashes Hub