Healy eyes off series sweep in Melbourne

Australia's one-day squad are back in the swing of things ahead of Sunday's third and final Commonwealth Bank ODI at Melbourne's Junction Oval.

With a series sweep in their sights having already ensured the Rose Bowl will remain in Australian hands, Meg Lanning's squad has enjoyed some downtime in Melbourne this week – including hitting the golf driving range at Albert Park for some specialist coaching.

Lanning – along with teammates Alyssa Healy, Rachael Haynes and Elyse Villani – drove and sliced with varying degrees of success on Friday morning, but it'll be back to business on Saturday as they hit the training track for one final session at Junction Oval ahead of the series finale.

"It's been great to get the opportunity to switch off cricket and do something we enjoy," Healy said from Albert Park on Friday.

"I know that the four of us, I think Meg's just getting back into golf, but a few of us have enjoyed golf so to be able to come down switch off from cricket and have a swing of a golf club's been great."

The mental and physical days off were designed to ensure the Australians go into the final international game of the summer refreshed, but it hasn't been all fun and games for Australia this week – they were also given an early peek at the Junction Oval conditions on Thursday as they took on a Victoria XI in a 40-over practice match.

Healy and fellow opener Rachael Haynes made the most of the hit out, played under a scorching Melbourne sun, scoring a half-century apiece before retiring, while Ashleigh Gardner lined up for the Victorians against her national teammates and smashed a 61-ball 80, in promising signs for the hosts.

"Yesterday was a great hit out," Healy said. "Ash Gardner who came out against us and belted them everywhere, it was good to see her get some time in the middle.

"It was great to get back on the park and get used to the conditions at Junction and we'll hopefully use that to our favour (on Sunday).

"It was also nice to spend time together in the middle (with Haynes), we've done it for a long period time for the NSW Breakers and hopefully we can put a big opening partnership together in the green and gold this weekend."

At the same time, New Zealand were romping to an emphatic 166-run victory in the annual Governor-General's XI match at Sydney's Drummoyne Oval, cruising to victory against a strong side of young local talent.

No.3 Maddy Down scored a century while off-spinner Anna Peterson picked up 3-28, and Healy expects the result to have given the White Ferns a dose of added confidence as they look to salvage some pride from the series.

"For someone like Lauren Down to come out and make a hundred, that's obviously a great confidence booster for her and some of their players who haven't had a great chance in the middle order had some great time in the middle," Healy said.

"They'll be fully confident no doubt, we're two-nil up so they can't grab the Rose Bowl but we're very wary of their side, they're a powerful outfit so hopefully we can keep them quiet for one more game."

Elsewhere in Melbourne on Friday, allrounders Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner and Delissa Kimmince were spreading the word in the hopes of securing a large and vocal home crowd at Sunday's game.

The trio handed out coffees in South Yarra and Healy said she'd be thrilled to see the people of Melbourne turn out in droves for the match – which will showcase the talents of captain Lanning and fellow Victorians Villani and Georgia Wareham, alongside the likes of superstar allrounder Perry.

"It would be really nice to cap off the summer with a big crowd, playing on the weekend and it's meant to be beautiful weather as well," Healy said.

"It would be nice to see a heap of people down there supporting their local heroes, we've got Meg Lanning sitting in there and the likes of Georgia Wareham as well."

The third and final ODI on Sunday, beginning 10.50am local, will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and the Seven Network and can be live streamed via Kayo, with news, scores and highlights on cricket.com.au and the CA Live App.