Gardner to return as Aussies consider best XI

Ashleigh Gardner is set to make a swift return to the Australia XI after she re-joins her teammates in Wellington ahead of Sunday's World Cup blockbuster against New Zealand.

Coach Matthew Mott said he expected to have a full squad to select from for the showdown with the White Ferns, after allrounder Tahlia McGrath trained fully at the Basin Reserve on Friday having missed Australia's win over Pakistan due to a sore heel.

Gardner will fly into Wellington on Saturday morning and is expected to train with Australia that afternoon.

New Zealand's decision to cut the isolation period for COVID-19 cases from 10 to seven days was of little benefit for the allrounder, who was due to be released on Saturday regardless, and Mott confirmed he was confident she would be ready to dive back into the action.

"It'd be different if she was a fast bowler," he explained. "As a spinner and where she bats in the order, she would have held her fitness ... (so) she'll come straight back in."

Australia will likely be eager to include Gardner's off-spin as an option against key New Zealand left-hander Amy Satterthwaite, and with McGrath and quick Darcie Brown both available for Sunday's game after missing the match against Pakistan, a selection conundrum has presented itself.

Meg Lanning's side took a spin-heavy attack featuring both leg-spinners Alana King and Amanda-Jade Wellington plus left-armer Jess Jonassen into the Pakistan match, but a fresh pitch at Basin Reserve – which is hosting its first game of the tournament – plus forecast wet weather is likely to prompt a shift in tactics.

Jonassen is the world's top-ranked ODI bowler and King has made a strong start to the tournament, but Wellington, Annabel Sutherland and Nicola Carey could all make way if all three of McGrath, Gardner and Brown return to the XI.

"'T-Mac' (McGrath) had a great run-up there in the nets ... it was a grumbly little foot (issue) and it's a lot better," Mott said.

Australia played two T20Is at Basin Reserve in 2016 but have not played an ODI at the venue since 1999, but they will quickly become familiar with the Wellington ground, which will host four of their five remaining round robin matches.

Meanwhile New Zealand will come into the game full of confidence after thrashing India by 62 runs in Hamilton on Thursday.

The hosts romped to a nine-wicket win over Australia during a warm-up game in Lincoln leading into the tournament, giving Mott and his fellow selectors plenty to think about when determining the make-up of their bowling attack.

"It's going to be a really tricky selection for us," Mott said. "I think we'd always planned for Darcie to come back in, but we have to work out with the conditions here.

"We'll try and balance out that attack to match up well with the Kiwis … they towelled us up in the practice match.

"They're an incredibly dangerous side – they have match-winners across the board.

"(Amelia) Kerr is the most improved batter in the world at the moment, she's proven very hard to knock over and matches up very well against spin.

"We've got a lot of planning to do."

While a plethora of options will cause headaches in the bowling department, Australia's top six batters remain rock solid.

Rachael Haynes hit a hundred against England, while opening partner Alyssa Healy and No.3 Meg Lanning have both struck half-centuries already in this tournament.

It means the middle-order has yet to be tested; Ellyse Perry and Beth Mooney played unbeaten hands late in both innings to date, and McGrath's services were not called upon against England. 

That form was reflected in the latest update to the ICC's ODI batting rankings earlier this week, which currently sees Australia's Healy, Lanning, Haynes, Mooney and Perry all sitting inside the top 11.

"There's players in form … we're banking on that top order to bat through as we always do," Mott said.

"If down the track there's an opportunity … we might mix (the batting order) around but at the moment it's Plan A, which is to try and take the game deep and put pressure on the opposition in the last 10-15 overs."

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: v New Zealand, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

Mar 15: v West Indies, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

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