McInnes calls on Perry to 'stamp her mark' on international cricket

Australia coach Richard McInnes believes that the Rose Bowl series that begins on Wednesday offers a brilliant opportunity for Ellyse Perry to showcase her talent at international level.

Speaking to the ICC website, McInnes believes that the series will play an important part in his side's preparations for the ICC World Twenty20 2010.

How confident are you that Australia will do well in the Rose Bowl series?

We have a number of players performing well in domestic cricket at the moment, which is really pleasing and a change from end of last season, so that alone should have the majority of the group confident of performing well individually and as a result collectively. The squad have been very disciplined with their training and many have recorded personal best results on fitness tests and body composition measures, to match their on-field performances, so there is a belief in the group that only hard work can bring.

How important is the series in the build-up to the ICC Women's World Twenty20 2010?
Each and every series the Southern Stars play is vitally important, as the volume of cricket, whilst ever increasing is still quite small. However, leading into the ICC Women's World T20 event, it would be beneficial to put in a strong performance against one of the leading sides in the world.

How have you prepared for the series?

We had a camp back in September to shape up our plans for the season, and since then the players have been working within their state squads and playing domestic cricket. The domestic final is the week prior to the New Zealand team arriving in Adelaide, so there will be no additional preparation prior to that series.

Who are your key players going into the series?

With the retirement of Karen Rolton and injury to captain Jodie Fields, additional responsibility will fall to Alex Blackwell, Shelley Nitschke and Lisa Sthalekar to lead the side with strong performances. Ellyse Perry has had her best domestic season, so this series is a great opportunity for her to stamp her mark on International cricket. The team boasts depth and as mentioned many players are performing well, so we are looking for contributions across the squad.

What do you think are your team strengths and weaknesses?

Our depth is our strength in both facets. With two of our front line bowlers batting in the top order, a keeper who is a genuine bat and Ellyse Perry and Rene Farrell, who both bat very well, we have a long list with both bat and ball who can win games. Our fielding is also a strength for us. Add to that the exuberance of youth which is a double edged sword at times. We have some exciting young talent coming through who have outstanding skills, but a still working out how to use them consistently well. Many of these players have now been through two World Cups and an Ashes Series so will be better for that experience.

Will home ground prove to be an added advantage to the squad?

No, I don't think it is really a factor. One day wickets are so consistent these days, particularly in Australia and New Zealand and the crowds are not a factor, so I don't think the venue makes a great deal of difference between Australia and New Zealand. Sometimes I think the home team can feel the pressure more than the visitors if all their families and friends are in the crowd.

Do you think that women's cricket is much popular than ever before?

I think more people are aware of it and the level of skills that the girls possess. This is thanks largely to the support of broadcasters like Fox Sports and to Cricket Australia who continue to push for greater exposure of the women's game. In this forthcoming series we have two double header T20 matches that will be broadcast live on Fox Sports, so it is important we put on a great display in those games.