Australia's pace battery home in on World Cup opener

Tahlia McGrath likes to joke she had little control over the searing yorker that accounted for some of England's biggest names during the Ashes, but Australia's assistant coach says the allrounder is being coy.

A week out from Australia's World Cup opener, Ben Sawyer has praised the improvements McGrath made to her game across a home summer that saw her dominate both India and England.

Asked to improve her death bowling following October's multi-format contest against India, McGrath delivered in the Ashes, while her yorker became one of her main wicket-taking weapons – removing Natalie Sciver, Heather Knight and Danni Wyatt at key moments across the series.

"She says that to me a lot as well (that she couldn't control it) … I think she has more control than what she leads on," Sawyer told reporters on Saturday as Australia continued their World Cup preparations in Christchurch.

"We've asked our bowlers to be able to bowl across the three phases of the game. After the India series, we challenged a few of the quicks to bowl better at the back end and Tahlia's done that really well.

"She can bowl up front and swing the ball, but she's really effective at the death as well.

"She's been practicing it a bit … she's listened and delivered really well."

McGrath is one of six pace bowlers in Australia's 15-player World Cup squad, while allrounder Heather Graham is also part of the party as a travelling reserve.

Tasked with helping the bumper crop of quicks navigate a week-long hard quarantine after their arrival in New Zealand, Sawyer confirmed all had been given a clean bill of health following their extended post-Ashes lay-off.

While the batters and spinners had a bonus seven-day break post-quarantine before Friday's first official training session, Sawyer revealed extra care had been taken with pace bowlers and they resumed duties during the week with two low-key sessions.

"All of them bowled really well yesterday (at training) and all pulled up well after that, so everyone is right to go for tomorrow's warm-up match," Sawyer said.

"The quicks had two sessions on our own (during the week) where we were building into bowling off a few steps, just to make sure we were ready to go for tomorrow."

Allrounder Ellyse Perry had admitted during the quarantine period that she always held some fears that her rhythm would be negatively impacted by a period without bowling, but Sawyer confirmed the 31-year-old had not skipped a beat.

"She's one of the most competitive players I've ever seen … she's bowling really well," the assistant coach, who is a close mentor of Perry's both for Australia and the Sydney Sixers, said.

"Once she gets into bowling and gets lots of balls under her belt, I think she's fantastic – she'll build up again and having a number of games in the World Cup, I think you'll see the best of her.

"She loves getting extra balls under her belt. That's the way she likes to prepare."

Sawyer confirmed Australia would be flexible in Sunday's first World Cup warm-up match against West Indies – with teams allowed to use more than 11 players – to get valuable overs into their attack.

It means opportunities will be shared between Perry, Darcie Brown, Megan Schutt, Tahlia McGrath, Nicola Carey and Annabel Sutherland, none of whom bowled at training on Saturday.

"We've got six or seven quicks who need to have a bowl, so they won't all get 10 overs, so tomorrow it'll be more about giving as many people as possible an opportunity to get ready," Sawyer said.

All will be eager to put their hand up for selection in the opening World Cup match against England on March 5, with Australia likely to make at least two changes for that game after Beth Mooney and Darcie Brown were rested from the final two Ashes ODIs earlier this month.

Sawyer also said the extra spinners in Australia's squad, including leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington, could come into contention throughout the tournament if conditions started to favour the slower bowlers.

"You play two right-arm fast bowlers and you don't have a problem with it. So take two right-arm leg-spinners who are both world class, if the conditions suit, you could see them of them bowl together," he said.

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: v England, Seddon Park, Hamilton, 12pm AEDT

Mar 8: v Pakistan, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 12pm AEDT

Mar 13: v New Zealand, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

Mar 15: v West Indies, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

Mar 19: v India, Eden Park, Auckland, 12pm AEDT

Mar 22: v South Africa, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

Mar 25: v Bangladesh, Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL WORLD CUP SCHEDULE

Semi-finals

Mar 30: Basin Reserve, Wellington, 8am AEDT

Mar 31: Hagley Park Christchurch, 12pm AEDT

Final

Apr 3: Hagley Park Christchurch, 11am AEDT

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