No big changes to senior core ‘anytime soon’: Mott

Right now, Matthew Mott is ready to get home, see his family and enjoy some golf.

But as soon as he is refreshed following a marathon 11 weeks spent on the road for the Ashes and the World Cup, the triumphant Australian coach will switch his attention to his next task: how to keep this Australian juggernaut rolling.

With a one-day World Cup completing a trophy cabinet that already contains the T20 title and the Ashes (and every other bilateral or tri-series title Australia has contested since late 2017), Commonwealth Games Gold looms as the next challenge.

Confident there will be no major changes to his senior playing group, which includes Rachael Haynes (age 35), Alyssa Healy (32), Ellyse Perry (31) and Meg Lanning (30) in the immediate future, Mott's dilemma will be just how to manage the depth of talent at his disposal – and how to keep the squad fresh.

"It's a good question, because part of sustained success is (about finding) the right time to turn players over that have been great servants," Mott said in Christchurch on Monday.

"But I don't see that anytime soon.

"I think there's enough games getting into people, we played 14 out of the 15 in this tournament."

Fifteen players were part of the squad that saw Australia march through the World Cup undefeated, while another three CA-contracted bowlers – injured trio Georgia Wareham, Tayla Vlaeminck and Sophie Molineux – watched the final together at home in Melbourne.

Fitting the three Victorians back into the national side once fit will be a challenge, particularly given the manner in which replacements Alana King and Darcie Brown have slotted into the Australian XI.

"I think that was a big part of our success, when players were out of our team, there was no void left," Mott continued.

"In many ways, it just matched up slightly differently."

Then there is Grace Harris, the only member of the World Cup group not to play, travelling reserves Georgia Redmayne and Heather Graham, plus Hannah Darlington, who pulled out of the trip to focus on her mental health.

Waiting in the wings are talented teenage batters Phoebe Litchfield and Georgia Voll, who have been earmarked for future Australian honours.

"They keep coming in droves now and that's the only bad part about it, there's some horrific selection decisions that we have to make," Mott said.

"We have to leave out really good players who are performing well, but it's a good problem to have and a real sign of strength within the entire system."

One solution Mott hopes to see will be increased scheduling of Australia A tours, after the success of the series against England A that ran parallel to the Ashes in January and February.

Under-19 tours, which have not been held since the onset of the pandemic, are also likely to return ahead of the first women's Under-19 World Cup; a 20-over tournament to be held in January next year.

"I do think we're going to look to step up the Australia A program in the next year or two," Mott said.

"Getting some really good players that have performed domestically more opportunities in international cricket will be a big part of (managing the depth of talent).

"But it's a good problem to have."

ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington. Travelling reserves: Heather Graham, Georgia Redmayne

Australia's World Cup 2022 fixtures

Mar 5: Beat England by 12 runs

Mar 8: Beat Pakistan by seven wickets

Mar 13: Beat New Zealand by 141 runs

Mar 15: Beat West Indies by seven wickets

Mar 19: Beat India by six wickets

Mar 22: Beat South Africa by five wickets

Mar 25: Beat Bangladesh by five wickets

Semi-finals

Mar 30: Australia beat West Indies by 157 runs

Mar 31: England beat South Africa by 137 runs

Final

Apr 3: Australia beat England by 71 runs

All matches to be broadcast in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports