Rachael Haynes to open innings for Australia against West Indies

Melbourne: Australia women’s coach Matthew Mott said that Rachael Haynes will fill the spot left by opening batter Nicole Bolton during the ODI series against West Indies.

“We obviously need to make at least one change there at the top of the order. You’d expect Rachael Haynes to go in and take that spot up there, she’s opened all her life,” Cricket.com.au quoted Mott as saying.

Bolton ruled herself out of the limited-overs tour of the West Indies as she focuses on her mental health.

Haynes’ 93-run inning during their intra-squad warm-up game on Sunday helped Mott make his decision but he also does not want to change Beth Mooney’s position.

“Beth Mooney’s done an outstanding job in the middle order and we don’t want to change that either, so that looks like the change we’ll make. That was awesome (from Rachael) in the first innings and it just showed her class,” he said.

Australia and West Indies will compete against each other for a three-match ODI series followed by a three-match T20I series.

The first ODI between both the teams will be played on September 5 at Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua.