Ellyse Perry and Alyssa Healy were part of side that won the 2010 World Cup in Barbados, where the current squad prepares for a T20 series
Australia return to scene of 2010 triumph
Australia's women have made a welcome return to the scene of one of their greatest triumphs as they kick off the next phase of their 2020 T20 World Cup preparations.
When Meg Lanning's squad strode out on to Kensington Oval for their first training session on Friday – ahead of the first of three T20Is against West Indies on Saturday – happy memories were evoked, and not just for the four people who had been there previously.
For Perry, along with current teammates Alyssa Healy and Rachael Haynes, and former player-turned assistant coach Shelley Nitschke, it was the first time they'd set foot on Kensington Oval since May 16, 2010, a night that would go down in history as the moment Ellyse Perry's foot won a World Cup.
Playing New Zealand in the tournament decider, the White Ferns were left needing five runs to win, or four to force a Super Over, from the final ball in their pursuit of a below-par 8-106.
Star allrounder Sophie Devine hammered a powerful straight drive – a shot that should have rocketed down the ground to the boundary - but Perry managed to somehow stick out her right foot and deflect the ball to mid-on, conceding just a single.
Image Id: 3B9A01B14CF64B36B08339581473258A Image Caption: The 2010 World Cup winners // Getty"It's been a little while now, last time we were there we won the World Cup," Nitschke, a former left-arm spinning allrounder who took 1-10 from four overs in that final, said.
"It'll be nice to go back and hopefully the girls can play well."
For allrounder Jess Jonassen, entering Kensington Oval for the first time sparked memories of watching that dramatic finish at home as a 17-year-old rising talent.
"It's nice to be here in Barbados, I know there's some really good memories for a few of the girls from the 2010 World Cup," Jonassen said.
"Being at a different ground and change of scenery will be really good, we're looking forward to a different format as well."
Image Id: E6D6964439DF424AB3E16C4E9FF685C6 Image Caption: The 2019 Aussie women assemble // Cricket NetworkAustralia have added a further three T20 World Cups to their trophy cabinet in the nine years since, taking out the 2012, 2014 and 2018 tournaments.
They'll be looking to make that five on home soil next February and March when Australia hosts the 2020 edition, with this series against the fourth-ranked West Indies crucial to their preparation and planning.
"It's going to be on us before we know it," Jonassen said of the 2020 event.
"Every game leading into that is going to be vital.
"I'm sure anyone who gets an opportunity, not only in this series but the Sri Lanka series coming up (at home) as well will do the job really well.
"We've played a lot of cricket recently, the 50-over games were a bit of a slog out there at times so to come to T20 format off the back of some good performances in (the ODIs), everyone is looking forward to getting out there among the hustle and bustle of T20 cricket."
While Australia cruised to a 3-0 sweep in the ODIs in Antigua, the hosts are expected to present a more formidable challenge in their preferred format.
They are also expected to bring back at least several frontline players who missed the one-dayers through injury but had yet to announce their T20 squad on the eve of the opening match.
Australia and West Indies will meet in the first of three T20Is at Kensington Oval on Saturday at 7pm local time (9am Sunday AEST).
Fans in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea can stream the series live and free on cricket.com.au and the CA Live App, while fans elsewhere can watch on the West Indies Cricket YouTube channel.
CommBank Tour of the West Indies
Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Heather Graham, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham
West Indies ODI squad: Stafanie Taylor (c), Hayley Matthews (vc), Reniece Boyce, Afy Fletcher, Chinelle Henry, Shamilia Connell, Stacy Ann King, Natasha McLean, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Anisa Mohammed, Karishma Ramharack, Shabika Gajnabi
One-Day Internationals*
*ICC Women's Championship matches
First ODI: Australia won by 178 runs
Second ODI: Australia won by 151 runs
September 11: Third ODI, Australia won by eight wickets
Twenty20 Internationals
September 14: First T20I, Kensington Oval, Barbados
September 16: Second T20I, Kensington Oval, Barbados
September 18: Third T20I, Kensington Oval, Barbados