Spots up for grabs in Cup squad: Mott

At least three spots are still up for grabs in Australia's squad for this year's ICC Women's World Cup with selectors still pondering their best 15, head coach Matthew Mott has declared.

The Southern Stars are expected to name an extended training squad for the 50-over tournament later this month, with the group to attend a three-week training camp at the Bupa National Cricket Centre before being whittled down to a final 15-player touring party who will aim to defend Australia's one-day crown in England in June and July.

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Although Mott believes the Southern Stars' 50-over game is on the right track after a come-from-behind 2-1 series win in New Zealand earlier this year, he isn't ruling out changes to the group who successfully defended the Rose Bowl.

"We've got to pick a squad of 15 and we'll have 23 up there (at the training camp), everyone is ready to go and there will be spots up for grabs," Mott – who re-signed as Australia head coach until June 2020 earlier this week – told cricket.com.au.

"We finished the New Zealand series with some players in form and our plans reasonably close to fruition, but there's obviously a couple of spots up for grabs and that's what the players (who weren't on the New Zealand trip) will be aiming for.

"We're confident we know our best 12 at this stage, so there's probably three spots everyone will be vying for.

"Anyone in that 23, it's an odd number, but all of them are in contention and they wouldn't be there otherwise."

Players who could be included in that training squad include internationally-contracted spinners Grace Harris and Erin Osborne, NSW batter Rachael Haynes who impressed with a half-century in her first international appearance since 2013 earlier this year, and young guns Tahlia McGrath, Heather Graham, Georgia Redmayne and Belinda Vakarewa, who toured Sri Lanka with the Shooting Stars under-21 development squad earlier this month.

Mott is also expecting a change in the make-up of Australia's bowling attack for the tournament in England.

Having made the most of his in-form spin stocks in the T20 and ODI series against New Zealand during the summer, fielding four frontline spinners in the 20-over matches and handing the new ball to left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen in four of the six games, Mott expects pace to play a far greater role in the United Kingdom and has called on his quicks to make the most of the chance to impress in Brisbane.

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"We played the last couple of series with a bit of a spin-heavy attack, but we're now looking at English conditions and for a couple of bowlers who can step up and get some swing happening over there," Mott said.

"It will depend on the conditions but our aim is to have a bit more of a balance attack going over there, so there's plenty to play for with those fast bowlers."

Teenage left-arm quick Lauren Cheatle, who made her one-day debut against New Zealand in Auckland earlier this year, and the 2013 World Cup leading wicket taker Megan Schutt are two players Mott believes have the potential to thrive in the English conditions.

"Cheatle's a left-arm swinging bowler who is very raw and has had her injury worries, but she's someone we as a coaching group want to see get stronger and fitter and do well," he added.

"She's at that age where she's picked up a few niggles so it's important that we look after her and get her right.

"Megan Schutt's performances haven't been as good as she would have liked lately but she's still a key member of our team.

"She's done a lot of work on her run up with Joe Dawes over the last month in Brisbane, just trying to get her back swinging the ball at good pace and with her variations.

"Rene Farrell didn't get much of an opportunity over in New Zealand but she's really determined to make sure she's in that touring party.

"There will be plenty of opportunities in that three-week period for players to show what they've got."

Meanwhile, Mott confirmed fast bowler Holly Ferling – who was dropped from the Australian squad last November before an injury-plagued Rebel Women's Big Bash campaign that resulted in the 21-year-old undergoing elbow surgery – had returned to training and would be in contention for the World Cup squad.

The three-week training camp will see the preliminary squad put through their paces in the nets and in a series of practice matches.

From there, selectors will whittle the group down to the final 15-player touring part who will depart for England in early June, ahead of Australia's tournament opener against West Indies in Taunton on June 26.

Australia's World Cup schedule

June 26: Australia v West Indies, Taunton

June 29: Australia v Sri Lanka, Bristol

July 2: Australia v New Zealand, Bristol

July 5: Australia v Pakistan, Leicester

July 9: Australia v England, Bristol

July 12: Australia v India, Bristol

July 15: Australia v South Africa, Taunton

July 18: First semi-final, Bristol

July 20: Second semi-final, Derby

July 23: Final, Lord's