Haynes grateful for unexpected chance

Rachael Haynes admits she wasn’t sure she’d play for her country again after being dropped in 2013, with the Australian batter now determined to make the most of her second chance at international level.

Haynes was a last-minute inclusion to the Southern Stars squad for the one-day international tour of New Zealand in February, called up when an injury cloud was hovering over vice-captain Alex Blackwell and allrounder Ellyse Perry.

Haynes was not even on call as an emergency player when the phone call came, but it was a welcome surprise for the NSW batter, who went on to score a half-century at Auckland’s Eden Park in her first appearance for Australia since the 2013 Ashes in England.

Image Id: ED78B3871AD449619F385010CC4552E4 Image Caption: Haynes during the women's Ashes in 2013 // Getty

That return turned sour when she subsequently suffered an ankle injury at training and was sent home from New Zealand before the final two ODIs in Mt Maunganui, but her seamless return to international level did not go unrewarded by national selectors, who have since offered Haynes an Australian contract for 2017-18.

"I wasn’t sure if I would get another opportunity, to be perfectly honest," Haynes told cricket.com.au.

"I wasn’t really hell bent on it or focused on ‘I must get back’, it wasn’t hanging over me or anything like that.

"I just wanted to enjoy my cricket and play well for NSW and then if an opportunity did come up, I’d be ready for it.

"I was fortunate enough to get that in New Zealand because of a couple of injuries and it was nice to make the most of it.

"It felt a bit surreal to be honest, because I wasn’t expecting to be there at all.

"So I was pretty relaxed about the whole thing, I just wanted to enjoy it because I didn’t know if it was going to be a one-off opportunity or if more would come of it."

With her ankle "coming along well", Haynes has been training with Australia’s preliminary World Cup squad in Brisbane for the past three weeks, and should she be named in the final group of 15 to travel to England, it would cap a dream comeback for the 30-year-old.

"To be given another opportunity and a contract is pretty amazing, so I’m exactly where I want to be in terms of the opportunity I have and what’s in front of me," she said.

"I want to make sure I enjoy it and make the most of it."

And the rapidly evolving professionalism in the women’s game means Haynes has walked back into an elite environment, one that's dramatically different to what she experienced just four years ago.

"It’s certainly changed a lot in terms of professionalism in that short space of time," she said.

"There’s a lot more support around the program ... even a (three-week) camp like this, we never used to have camps like this.

"It’d be a three-day camp you’d come along to and it’d be jam-packed.

"To have the opportunity to spend a period of time up here and really get into a rhythm and routine and focus on what you want to work on is good."

Should Haynes be named in the final World Cup squad, she will face tough competition to break into an Australian batting line-up featuring the likes of Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry, Nicole Bolton, Alex Blackwell, Beth Mooney, Elyse Villani and Alyssa Healy.

But one factor in her favour is her strong record at big tournaments; Haynes was Australia’s leading run-scorer at the 2013 World Cup in India, scoring 273 runs at 45.50, with three half-centuries including 52 in the final.

"I definitely feel as though I know what’s required in those events," she said.

"In the last World Cup in India I performed quite well, so if I am selected I’ll take a lot of confidence out of that and know that if or when I’m required, I’ll be able to contribute to the team.

"I think I had a pretty good tournament all together, it’s just about getting some momentum and trying to carry that though.

"When you’re playing well you need to really cash in and make the most of it."

That experience is something she is happy to pass on to less-experienced members of the Australian squad, should they turn to her for advice.

"If there are any of them who want to have a chat, I’m happy to talk a bit about my experience and how I went about it," she said.

"But there’s a lot of good leaders in this group, so no doubt they’ll all share their experiences and I think our team will be really well placed."

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

Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes schedule

October 22: First ODI, Allan Border Field, Brisbane

October 26: Second ODI, Coffs Intl Stadium, Coffs Harbour 

October 29: Third ODI, Coffs Intl Stadium, Coffs Harbour 

November 9-12: Day-night Test, North Sydney Oval, Sydney

November 17: First T20I: North Sydney Oval, Sydney

November 19: First T20I: Manuka Oval, Canberra

November 21: First T20I: Manuka Oval, Canberra