Opener's return to force a batting squeeze

Nicole Bolton is not taking anything for granted after returning to Australia's squad for the Ashes, but she's determined to win back her spot at the top of the order after almost six months out of the game.

Bolton was a notable absentee from Australia’s most recent one-day international series against New Zealand in February and March, with the Western Australian taking some time away for personal reasons.

Refreshed and ready to take on England in the multi-format Ashes that begin next month, Bolton’s return will lead to some tough decisions for Australia's selectors given the sheer strength of their batting stocks.

Even without the talented opener, who averages 43.93 in ODIs and has been a fixture at the top of the Australian one-day order since making her debut in 2014, the Aussies romped to a 3-0 clean sweep over the Kiwis three months ago, when the versatile Rachael Haynes took Bolton's opening spot and averaged 43 for the series.

"It’s a really hard line-up to crack and I know I have to bide my time," Bolton said this week of a star-studded top six against New Zealand that included Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney and Elyse Villani.

"All I can do is train really hard, put the runs on the board and hopefully keep making sure my fielding is up to scratch.

"It’s a tough line-up to get into at the moment but that’s what you want, you want competition for spots."

In a positive sign for Bolton, she was reinstalled to her usual opening spot alongside Healy for the side's two one-day practice matches against Australia A in Brisbane this week.

While her first innings back with her Australian teammates resulted in a first-ball duck, Bolton bounced back on Wednesday with a superb 72 from 64 deliveries, including eight fours and a six.

Her return to the opening spot in the first A match saw Haynes shift down the order to No.5 (where she scored a brisk 81), the batting reshuffle leading to Villani dropping out of the side.

"I felt a lot better than the other day," Bolton said after Wednesday’s game.

"I got a first-baller (on Monday) so I was pretty keen to take the first ball of our innings and get through the first one today. It was really nice to get out there and spend a bit of time in the middle.

"I think I was having an internal battle after the first game; we had optional training on Tuesday and I’d already opted myself out of it, so when I made a first-baller I thought, ‘maybe I do need a hit’.

"But I backed myself in today and I’m just really pleased that different approach (worked), being a bit more positive and relaxed.

"It was nice to get some runs and spent some time out there."

The 14-player Australian squad will fly to the United Kingdom on Saturday and head straight for the university town of Loughborough, where they’ll spend a week adjusting to conditions before moving to nearby Leicester for the first ODI on July 2.

That week will include two more warm-up games against an England Academy side, practice Bolton says will be crucial before taking on world No.2 England.

"We’ll have a bit of a mini-camp (in Loughborough), we’ve got a couple of practice games against the English academy and I think that’ll be a really good hit out," she said.

"(We’ll) try to acclimatise to their conditions, work out our best line-up and hopefully take some match form into the one dayers."

CommBank Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

June 26: England Academy v Australia, Loughborough

June 28:  England Academy v Australia, Loughborough

July 2: First ODI, Grace Road, Leicester

July 4: Second ODI, Grace Road, Leicester

July 7:  Third ODI, St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury

July 11-13: England Academy v Australia, Marlborough College, Swindon

July 18-21: Only Test, The County Ground, Taunton

July 26: First T20, County Ground, Chelmsford

July 28: Second T20, The County Ground, Hove

July 31: Third T20, Bristol County Ground, Bristol

A Test victory is worth four points (two each for a draw), two points are awarded for ODI and T20 wins