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Aussies reset for India, women's World Cup

3 minute read

Star opener Beth Mooney says Australia are ready to emerge from a slow winter and begin a busy stretch leading up to the 2022 ODI World Cup.

BETH MOONEY.
BETH MOONEY. Picture: (Jenny Evans/Getty Images)

Australia will have a week together to prepare for their multi-format series against India, having waited 18 months for the women's Twenty20 World Cup final rematch.

The rivals will play three Twenty20s, a day-night Test and three one-dayers in Queensland, with the games split between Mackay and Gold Coast.

The majority of Australia's squad, travelling from Sydney and Melbourne, have started hotel-quarantine stints and are due to be released on September 13.

The series-opening ODI is on September 21.

It is a sharp turnaround, especially given Australia haven't played a match or had a training camp together since their tour of New Zealand ended in April.

Brisbane-based batter Beth Mooney, who has enjoyed far more freedom than Meg Lanning, Alyssa Healy and other teammates during recent months, says a week of training in the Queensland capital will ensure everybody shakes off the rust and gets on the same page.

"That week leading into the first game on the 21st will be really important for us," Mooney said.

"The Australian team are coming off a pretty slow winter.

"We've been training within our states, which has been a great system for us for a long time but there's nothing like playing international cricket.

"We've only played 12 games of international cricket since that T20 World Cup final, all against the same opponent New Zealand, so it's a really exciting time."

Mooney, who admitted she was disappointed that circumstances prompted her withdrawal from England's recent The Hundred competition, has been batting under lights against the pink ball.

"And been really tested," the star opener said.

"It's pretty foreign to us but it's still a bat, ball and cricket match."

The main focus of Lanning's side will be on the 2022 one-day World Cup, which begins in March.

Australia were ousted at the semi-final stage of the 2017 ODI World Cup by India but are riding a record 24-game winning streak in the format.

"It's a real reset for us," Mooney said.

"The end goal is the World Cup.

"Our priority now is making sure we get the right make up of our team in the next little bit, get the right people firing at the right time."

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