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Coffs loss changes Aussie Test mindset

Australia facing more selection headaches as Ashes combatants switch to Test mode

Australia coach Matthew Mott says Sunday’s third ODI loss to England will likely change the make-up of the XI and their approach for the first-ever Ashes day-night Test match.

Australia were beaten by 20 runs (DLS method) in Coffs Harbour yesterday to finish the ODI leg of the multi-format Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes Series with a two-point advantage heading into the Test at North Sydney Oval.

England hit back in battle for Women's Ashes

Had the Australians won that final one-dayer, it would have meant a draw in the pink-ball fixture would have been enough to retain the Women’s Ashes with the T20 international series still to play.

As holders, Australia need only eight points out of a possible 16 to keep the trophy, while England must beat their hosts to regain the title they lost in 2015.

And Mott conceded their approach to the Test would have been a lot different had they held on for victory on Sunday.

"We’ll have a look at the balance of the side, what we need, and to be honest it might have been a little bit different if we had have gone 3-0 up," Mott said on Sunday night.

"This certainly puts a lot of pressure on us to try and get four points out of the next game.

"North Sydney is going to be a really good Test match now.

"You always want to go out and win the Test match but if you're up (in the series) and there’s less work to do, the onus would have been on England to come out and play ultra-aggressive and that would have definitely played into our hands a little bit more."

Highlight of the day: Healy's sublime glovework

Mott and the selectors were forced to make some tough decisions in the lead-up to the ODI series, namely the choice to play Alyssa Healy ahead of Beth Mooney and replace veteran Kristen Beams with Amanda-Jade Wellington.

And it appears more difficult selections are on the cards for the four-day day-night fixture, which starts on November 9.

"We haven’t got a lot of recent form to go on, our last Test match was over in England a couple of years ago,” Mott said.

"A lot of it goes on gut feel and players in form.

"It’s wide open now and both sides go in there with not a lot of form on the board in that format.

"It will be really interesting. It’s so new, the pink ball’s never really been played, it just opens so many different options that come into play."

Australia travelled to Canberra on Monday to begin their preparations for the twilight Test. The team will train under lights at Manuka Oval this week before taking on an ACT XI over the weekend in a three-day match at the same venue.

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The 14-player squad that was picked for the ODI leg will swell to 15 for the Test with the inclusion of NSW fast bowler Belinda Vakarewa, and it’s the bowling attack that will be one of the immediate areas the selectors attempt to nail down.

"What’s going to get us 20 wickets it the first thing we’ve got to think of," Mott said.

"We know we've got a strong batting line-up but the challenge in this pink-ball Test match is taking enough wickets.

"Both batting teams stack up pretty well just because the bowlers have always had the mentality of having to contain (in limited overs cricket).

"I think that’s the big challenge both bowling units have (going) into this Test match. Getting batters out who don’t want to get out on pretty good batting wickets is going to be what separates the two teams."

Australia’s narrow two-point lead means Mott wants to see his charges take the game on like they do in the 50-over version of the game.

Australia returned to the top of the Women’s Team Rankings after the ODI series win over England and it's that form the head coach hopes to see in the four-day fixture.

Knight hopes England gain confidence from win

"I’d love for us to play more Test cricket because our batting unit is really well suited to it,” he said.

"Technically we’re very strong, we’ve got a really good temperament, we’ve got players who have the ability to bat for a very long period.

"Our key now is to use that three-day game (in Canberra) to get in to that mode.

"We want to be positive and aggressive but also know we can bat time out there and then the runs will come at the back end of the day.

"Our batting group, we’ll meet a lot over the next week or so leading in to the Test match and the mantra will still be we still want to play with a one-day sort of mentality through the middle overs, but we’ve also got the ability to bat long periods."

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes

Australia lead England 4-2

Australia squad (ODI and Test): Rachael Haynes (C), Alex Blackwell (VC), Kristen Beams, Nicole Bolton, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Belinda Vakarewa (Test only), Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington.

England squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Alex Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Laura Marsh, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor, Nat Sciver, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danielle Wyatt.

Schedule


First ODI Australia won by two wickets

Second ODI Australia won by 75 runs (DLS method)

Third ODI England won by 20 runs (DLS method)

Day-Night Test North Sydney Oval, November 9-12

First T20 North Sydney Oval, November 17

North Sydney Charity Partner: McGrath Foundation

Second T20 Manuka Oval, November 19

Third T20 Manuka Oval, November 21

Canberra Charity Partner: Lord's Taverners ACT