Aussies chasing momentum after T20 triumph

Australia's triumphant T20 women's World Cup squad have been welcomed back at a public celebration in Melbourne.

Australian women world T20 champions

Australia's victorious T20 world champion cricket squad arrived back in the country on Thursday. (AAP)

How do Australia's women cricketers keep the momentum building after winning hearts with their inspired T20 World Cup victory?

Fast bowler Megan Schutt reckons the answer is simple.

"Pretty much just playing good cricket," she told AAP at a public celebration in Melbourne welcoming home the victorious squad from the Caribbean.

"We wanted to go over and play that fearless label of cricket and I think we really did that.

"If we can do that individually in our Big Bash clubs and then obviously back on the world stage again, I think that's a great way to start."

The solid turnout in overcast conditions at Federation Square on Thursday reaffirmed that there is no shortage of goodwill towards the Australians, who defeated England on Sunday (AEDT) in Antigua to claim their fourth title.

At a time of near-unprecedented turmoil for the men's game in Australia, Meg Lanning's team has played captivating cricket, won plenty of admirers and provided Cricket Australia with some much-needed positive news.

Australia will defend their title on home soil when they host the T20 World Cup as a stand-alone tournament in February and March of 2020, with organisers hoping to attract a record crowd for a women's sporting event to the MCG decider.

The WBBL - heading into its fourth season starting on Saturday and increasingly finding an audience beyond the shadows of the men's tournament - presents a more immediate opportunity to keep eyes on the women's game.

"I think the Big Bash is playing a really important role," gun allrounder and Sydney Sixers captain Ellyse Perry said.

"Every season of the three instalments has been tremendous so far and we've obviously got the fourth one starting on the weekend.

"I think it's really important that we continue with that and make sure that that's a really good product for people to watch."

Australia's 2019 plans include a home ODI series against New Zealand, the Ashes in the UK and a tour of the West Indies.

And while Perry, skipper Meg Lanning and World Cup player of the tournament Alyssa Healy are already certified superstars, the likes of Ashleigh Gardner, Georgia Wareham and Tayla Vlaemnick are already promising big things.

"For us, it's a really good goal to have in terms of captivating people's attention and hopefully putting together something (where) people really want to follow our journey," Perry said.

"And hopefully it culminates in a World Cup final at home."


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Source: AAP



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