One-day contests leave Aussies primed for New Zealand

Ashleigh Gardner is not concerned a lack of international cricket will prevent Australia from quickly hitting their straps when their T20I series against New Zealand begins on Sunday, pointing to the strength of the one-day domestic competition as ideal preparation.

Australia's 17-player squad will be released from a fortnight in hotel quarantine just 24 hours ahead of the first 20-over match at Hamilton's Seddon Park.

Their last international game was also against New Zealand, last October, while the White Ferns come in fresh from three ODIs and three T20Is against England.

However, Gardner says the form displayed in the Women's National Cricket League across the last two months, combined with their ability to train while in quarantine, has Australia primed for their six matches (three T20Is, three ODIs) against the Kiwis.

"I'll take confidence and form out of the WNCL, I think everyone has batted and bowed very well out of the games we've been involved in," Gardner told reporters on Tuesday.

"So not only personally, but the whole group can take a lot of confidence out of where their games are at, at the moment.

"If you look at our preparation, we went from the WBBL and had a break over Christmas and then went into WNCL (where) we all played each other, and that's perfect preparation in my opinion."

Gardner scored three half-centuries for NSW Breakers in six WNCL innings before parting for New Zealand, with her 256 runs coming at an average of 64, and strike rate of 99.61.

Australia's other core batters also impressed during their stint in the one-day domestic competition; Rachael Haynes remains second on the league runs table with 413 at 82.6, with two centuries and two fifties from six innings.

Beth Mooney hit 297 runs at 74.25 in just four innings, including a whirlwind 163 against Western Australia, while Meg Lanning (259 at 51.8), Nicole Carey (285 at 47.5), Ellyse Perry (233 at 58.25) and Alyssa Healy (225 at 56.25) were also in ominous form.

Of the bowlers, Molly Strano is the competition's top wicket taker despite departing for New Zealand ahead of Victoria's final two regular season matches, with 14 scalps at 14.42, followed by leg-spinner Georgia Wareham (13 at 19.15), Carey (11 at 22.9) and Jess Jonassen (nine at 19.55).

"We played some really hard-fought games through that WNCL campaign that we were involved in and the exciting thing is everyone is in really good form," Gardner continued.

"It wasn't that nice having to play against a lot of your Aussie teammates but going into this series, I think everyone can take confidence from where their games are at."

Gardner launched her summer last September with a 41-ball 61 in the first T20I against New Zealand in Brisbane and is looking forward to once again meeting familiar rivals.

"New Zealand have been the team we face the most out of anyone in the world, we know their players really well," Gardner said.

"They play in our domestic league so we can take a lot of confidence out of facing them and knowing their strengths and weaknesses and what we do well against them, and why we've had a lot of success against them."

Gardner made her ODI debut at Tauranga's Bay Oval during Australia's last tour of New Zealand in 2017.

She has since established herself as a core member of both the ODI and T20I XIs, but has her sights set on playing a more senior role both with her off-spin and with the bat heading into a period that will see Australia contest a home Ashes, an ODI World Cup, the Commonwealth Games and 2023 T20 World Cup in the space of two years.

"It's still pretty early on in my career, I'm only 23 so hopefully I've got a lot of cricket ahead of me," she said.

"For me I want to see myself bowling more overs and being that impactful bowler with ball in hand and then batting wise, batting higher up the order.

"That's what everyone wants to do, bat in the top four or five, that's what I'm striving for."

CommBank tour of New Zealand 2021

Australia ODI & T20I Squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Molly Strano, Georgia Wareham, Belinda Vakarewa, Tayla Vlaeminck

T20I squad: Sophie Devine (capt), Amy Satterthwaite (vice-capt), Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Frances Mackay, Katey Martin (wk), Thamsyn Newton, Hannah Rowe

ODI squad: Sophie Devine (capt), Amy Satterthwaite (vice-capt), Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek - (games 2 & 3 only), Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Frances Mackay, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin (wk), Hannah Rowe (game 1 only), Lea Tahuhu

1st T20: March 28, Seddon Park, Hamilton, 5.10pm AEDT

2nd T20: March 30, McLean Park, Napier, 1pm AEDT

3rd T20: April 1, Eden Park, Auckland, 1pm AEDT

1st ODI: April 4, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 9am AEDT

2nd ODI: April 7, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 12noon AEDT

3rd ODI: April 10, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 12noon AEDT

All matches will be shown live in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo