Australia are ready to employ lessons from their 2016 final defeat when they attempt to avenge that only-ever loss to West Indies in their Women's World T20 semi-final in Antigua.
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The Australians received a big boost in their bid to reach a fifth straight final when the tournament's form player Alyssa Healy (concussion) got through a nets session unscathed and now faces only a final assessment hours before the match starts on Friday (7am AEDT).
The meeting will be the first between the two teams since the 2016 title match in India, where West Indies beat Australia for the first time in nine attempts, chasing down 149 with three balls to spare.
It marked the Windies' women's first global trophy, and the first time since 2009 that the Australians had dropped a women's World Cup in either format.
"It did sting," Healy told AAP of the 2016 final loss.
"Whilst it hurt a bit you've got to lose eventually. Unfortunately for us it was on the world stage in a big game.
"I think we're just a more adaptable side now ... That was an eye-opening occasion for us and (a lesson) for us to adapt and have a Plan B or C when teams are coming at us."
That loss - combined with last year's semi-final defeat to India in the one-day World Cup - sparked a change in Australia's approach to the short-form game.
Beth Mooney and Healy are given a license to hit at the top of the order, as is No.3 Ashleigh Gardner before the arrival of more conventional batting stars Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry.
But West Indies will field the same dangerous top order they had in Kolkata in 2016.
For the hosts, Hayley Matthews has a tournament strike rate of 142.59, while Stefanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin are as powerful as ever, having taken the game away from the Aussies two years ago.
Stopping them will be the job of quicks Perry and Megan Schutt, who have all gone at less than a-run-a-ball for the tournament armed with more variations in their game.
"It's a new game tomorrow," Australian captain Lanning said.
"They've got plenty of x-factors. Dottin has been playing extremely well throughout with bat and ball.
"We're very wary of them, we know when they're on they're very hard to stop, and we expect them to be on tomorrow.
"We feel like we've prepared very well and have the options there if we need them."
Meanwhile Healy's inclusion will be vital for Australia, given she's been player-of-the-match in all three of the team's wins in the tournament - averaging 78.50 at a strike rate of 160.20
Australian Associated Press
