We'll be targeting early inroads in that first power play

We'll be targeting early inroads in that first power play

Matthew Mott, the Australian women's coach, believes his team's quicks can propel Australia to World Cup glory in the UK.

Australia are favourites to win their seventh World Cup when the tournament gets underway later this month. The Australian squad arrived in London on Sunday (June 11) and immediately headed to Southampton, where they will be based ahead of warm-up matches in Leicester next week.

Boasting uncapped quicks Belinda Vakarewa and Sarah Aley along with experienced pair Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt, Australia has a dangerous pace arsenal set to relish the seam friendly conditions of the UK.

Mott believed Australia's quicks would add firepower to an already vaunted team. "I think it is the missing piece of our jigsaw at the moment," Mott told reporters on Monday (June 12). "If you track our success over the last couple of years, it's been about really good spin and closing down the scoreboard, as well as formidable batting. We've had a bit of a change in the guard with (new quicks Vakarewa and Aley) coming in

"I do think the pace unit is the one, if we get that box ticked we'll be very hard to beat," he added. "We'll be targeting early inroads into teams in that first power play, so it's up to the bowlers to take that opportunity."

Mott said he was particularly excited about Schutt, who he believed could make a profound impact during the World Cup. "Schutt is back swinging the ball, she's got a shorter run up and she's explosive at the crease," he said. "It was a tough year for her (last year) injury wise, coming back but she seems hungry and ready to go."

Mott said his players would take time to settle into their new surrounds after the long trip from Down Under. "This first week is where we'll just get back into the swing of things, it's obviously a long flight," he said. "We feel pretty good and it's just about giving everyone a bit of a crack."

Australia has official warm-up matches against South Africa (June 20) and Pakistan (June 22) before opening their World Cup campaign against the West Indies in Taunton on June 26.