Ashes spots up for grabs as Mott challenges stars to earn their place in the side

With Australia’s women’s team set to embark on their Ashes campaign in the UK next week, head coach Matthew Mott has warned that past reputations guarantee no one a starting place.

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Selectors don’t pick teams — players do.

With this mantra in mind, Australian head coach Matthew Mott made it clear no player — not even his big name stars — are guaranteed an automatic return ticket into the Australian XI to contest the Women’s Ashes series in the United Kingdom.

And this means the comeback of Nicole Bolton may force selectors to make a tough call on their top six during the series which starts on Tuesday with the first of three One Day Internationals.

Nicole Bolton is a welcome return to the squad after a period away from the game.

Mott is a big fan of the multi-format series featuring three ODIs, one Test and three T20s because in this format “there is no way either side can fluke winning the series — the best team will come out on top”.

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“The Ashes is such a special format. You can drop a game, and unlike in a tournament, you can still come back and that’s the beauty of this series. And with the Test match double points — strategically, do you go hard for that one Test, maybe make a gamble?

“This format keeps you alive and adds interest and complexity to the whole series,” Mott said.

Australia coach Matthew Mott has a deep pool of talent to select his Ashes XI from.

Experienced allrounder Ellyse Perry is also a fan of the multi-format series and hopes it will be transferred to other international series.

Australia has named the one squad to cover all three formats in the UK — including five potential Test debutantes.

It’s a winning squad with the Aussies strolling to a 3-0 clean sweep against New Zealand a few months ago.

If there are changes, they will be subtle and they will likely come before the only Test in Taunton.

“With the Test match in mind, we have reserved the right to add one more player. We normally bring away 15 — we’ve named 14 — and we are in the unique situation where the Australia A series is running alongside ours,” Mott said.

“If someone is going well, we can bring them in.

“Amanda-Jade Wellington is in that Australia A squad and Sophie Molineux … I mean, Sophie with her injury (Molineux is recovering from shoulder surgery) was so unlucky not to be included. She has been exceptional for us in the past 12 months.

“But then Jess Jonassen got an opportunity and she just took it.

Sophie Molineux is recovering well from shoulder surgery.

“Nic Bolton is back in the Ashes squad, she’s a world-class player, she makes hundreds and sets the tone for how we play.

“She had a break and Rachael Haynes came in and had a great series against NZ, Beth Mooney at the top of the order gives us flexibility.

“It’s a nice selection headache to have.”

Australia regained the Ashes trophy during the 2015 series played in England and retained the Ashes after a drawn series on home soil in 2017.

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

SCHEDULE

July 2: First ODI, Grace Road, Leicester

July 4: Second ODI, Grace Road, Leicester

July 7: Third ODI, St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury

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