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WBBL to have 'huge' impact on selection

Australia head coach Matthew Mott will be watching keenly through WBBL|03 with spots on the line for the upcoming tour of India

With a tour of India looming and a Women's World T20 tournament less than a year away, this edition of the Rebel WBBL looms as make-or-break for the country's top players and those aspirating for international honours.

The third edition of the 20-over tournament kicked off two weeks ago, and players will spend the next two months proving to the Australian selectors why their names should be on the squad list that will be revealed in early February.

Australia coach Matthew Mott said WBBL|03 would have a "huge impact" on selection, particularly given the national side will predominately feature in the game's shortest format throughout 2018 as they try to win back the twenty-over World Champion title they surrendered at the last World T20 in 2016.

"It's a big year in T20 cricket for us and a large proportion of our games will be T20s," Mott told cricket.com.au.

"It's a great opportunity for our players who have come out of the Ashes and played well to reinforce that they've made advancements and are ready to keep playing at that level.

"And for some younger players, it's a great vehicle to put their hands up and show the selectors what they can do."

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The WBBL final will be held on February 4, less than a month before the Australian squad is due to depart for the subcontinent.

There, they will play India in three one-day internationals – as part of the ICC's Women's One-Day Championship – before playing a series of T20 internationals.


The 2018 World T20 won't be played until next November, but this edition of the WBBL still looms as the best chance for those domestic players outside the international set-up to push their cases.

"It is perfect timing for the year ahead and good performances will be strongly recognized by the selection panel," Mott said.

"We'll be watching, with close interest, a number of players. It's just an exciting opportunity over the next month to see who puts their hand up."

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Although Australian players, including Ashleigh Gardner and Rachael Haynes, have displayed strong early form in WBBL|03, there have also been a host of uncapped players - such as Renegades Georgia Wareham and Sophie Molineux, the Heat's Kirby Short, the Thunder's Nicola Carey and Scorchers allrounder Heather Graham - who have shown promising early-season form.

"The talent pool is solid and the WBBL does a fantastic job at unearthing some young players with potential to play for Australia,” Mott said.

"We want some hard decisions."

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However, it's maintaining good form that will see players stand out from the rest come season’s end, when the Australian selectors sit down to choose their Indian touring party.

"It's great to have good individual performances here and there, but it's about carrying that form across the tournament and peaking at the right time as well,” Mott said.

"We place a lot of importance on doing well at the back-end and pressing on into the semis and the final.

"It's a huge tournament (to try and) hold your form throughout when it's constant travel, play, train.

"Players who can do that, they're most likely to be great international players as well.

"Players who stand up and make a difference to their teams winning, that's something the selection panel is keen to promote and make sure we don't miss an opportunity to further those players' careers."

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