For Phoebe Litchfield, a maiden World Cup final appearance "feels like a long time coming" and, after an injury-interrupted campaign, she is ready to make the most of it.
Litchfield's career since making her international debut in December 2022 has coincided with an unfamiliar period in the formerly all-conquering Australian team's history. She was still establishing herself when Australia won a third consecutive T20 World Cup in early 2023 but they have since been knocked out during the semi-final stage in 2024 and at last year's ODI World Cup.
She is among a clutch of Australia players who have yet to experience playing in a World Cup final, and she is determined to make an impact after just three group-stage matches at this edition.
"When I first got into the side, I was like, 'Oh, this team gets into them all the time,' so it feels like a long time coming," Litchfield said after training on Friday at Lord's, home of Sunday's title decider against England.
Litchfield started with a half-century as Australia rolled South Africa by 65 runs in their opening match, having missed the last warm-up game with a quad strain. A recurrence ruled her out for the next three games before she returned to face India in the final match of the group stage and the semi-final against West Indies with innings of 24 and 4 respectively from No. 3.
"I probably haven't found my feet with the bat just as yet, but I feel really good in the nets and it's just been a few decisions here and there," she said. "A little bit of FOMO - I don't usually spend that much time off the field. We didn't rush South Africa, but it was definitely hit and miss and my body just didn't last up, so wanted to do it properly this time."
Ellyse Perry trained extensively at Lord's on Friday after retiring hurt in Tuesday's semi-final with a quad issue, batting in the nets and completing a series of sprints. Head coach Shelley Nitschke had indicated on Thursday that Perry could play in the final even if she wasn't 100% fit. Perry has been a key performer for Australia as the tournament's fifth-highest run-scorer with 185 at 46.25 and a strike rate of 135.03, including two half-centuries.
"She's great," Litchfield said of Perry on Friday, "prepping really well, and she's the ultimate professional. She had a total wellness day yesterday, apparently, just getting everything right.
"She wants to be out there on Sunday and is doing everything in her ability to do that, which is the true professional that she is… sauna, getting the body right. The body's a temple for Pez. It's nice to see her back around the group today and moving really well."
Both finalists have progressed to this stage undefeated and have only been tested for limited periods of play.
"To perform the way we have, we've been tested at times, but also been so dominant and that's probably one thing that I noticed on the sideline when I was watching, the other teams were so far from us, which is just an amazing thing for our group and great for our confidence," Litchfield said.
England have lost all six World Cup finals they have contested with Australia across formats. England's semi-final victory on the way to winning the T20 title at home in 2009 was the only time they have beaten Australia in either of those two knockout phases.
But, looking at more recent history, Litchfield didn't expect England to be carrying any baggage from their winless Ashes tour of Australia in 2025, which sparked wholesale changes, including the appointment of head coach Charlotte Edwards.
"Eighteen months is a long time," Litchfield said. "It seems like a different England to the one we played in the Ashes. I did not even think of the Ashes, but I guess the experience and the memories that we have against them always puts us in good stead, because I guess we've got probably the rub of the green over them for the last little bit.
"But they're obviously 18 months better, which is a scary thing when you look at world cricket, because, well, we are also 18 months better."
'We will draw on the 2017 win' - Knight on England's inspiration
Heather Knight, who was replaced as captain in the aftermath of that Ashes defeat, joined forces with her successor, Nat Sciver-Brunt, for a decisive century stand to set up a comprehensive semi-final win against South Africa on Thursday night.
Sciver-Brunt, who faced her own battle to be fit for the knockouts after suffering a recurrence of a calf injury in England's second game, joins Knight and Danni Wyatt-Hodge as the only remaining members of England's squad which won the 50-over World Cup at home in 2017. Wyatt-Hodge didn't play the final during that campaign but is now the leading run-scorer at this tournament.
Knight said her side could harness the memories of 2017 for success this time, but also encouraged England to play their own, newer brand of cricket, forged under Edwards' leadership and which has served them well so far at this World Cup.
"Playing in a home World Cup is quite unique and me, Nat and Danni are the only people that have done that - I think we'll draw on that a little bit," Knight said. "This is a very fresh-faced team. We play cricket in our own way.
"It was a full house in 2017 and it did really feel like a seminal moment. It feels slightly different because it is quite normal for us now to have the crowds. This is pretty normal now and you try and enjoy it, but it's part of the parcel of what you do as an international female cricketer.
"It will feel slightly different. It probably won't feel as historic for the game, I guess, but it has been a great competition and we're desperate to be on the right side of that final and make it a really special one for England women's cricket."