Photo Credit: ICC
The Cricket Australia National Selection Panel (NSP) has announced the following 15-player squad for the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup in New Zealand.
Australia will travel to New Zealand on February 10 where players and staff will complete 10 days managed isolation, before the team begins its World Cup campaign against defending champions, England on Saturday 5 March in Hamilton.
Darcie Brown (SA/Northern Districts CC)
Nic Carey (TAS/North Hobart CC)
Ash Gardner (NSW/Bankstown CC)
Grace Harris (QLD/Western Suburbs CC)
Rachael Haynes (VC) (NSW/Sydney CC)
Alyssa Healy (NSW/Sydney CC)
Jess Jonassen (QLD/Valleys District CC)
Alana King (WA/Midland Guildford CC)
Meg Lanning (C) (VIC/Box Hill CC)
Tahlia McGrath (SA/Glenelg CC)
Beth Mooney (QLD/Sandgate-Redcliffe CC)
Ellyse Perry (VIC/Dandenong CC)
Megan Schutt (SA/Sturt CC)
Annabel Sutherland (VIC/Prahan CC)
Amanda-Jade Wellington (SA, West Torrens CC)
Hannah Darlington and Georgia Redmayne will travel with the team as reserve players and will be eligible to replace a player in the official squad of 15 should they be affected by injury or Covid.
Elyse Villani, Maitlan Brown, Stella Campbell, Molly Strano and Heather Graham will travel with the team to Melbourne for the final two matches of the Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes Series as stand-by players should last minute changes to the squad be required.
Speaking on the squad, National Selector, Shawn Flegler said:
“We’ve been able to put together a really talented squad with some fresh faces as well as players with significant World Cup experience.
“Amanda-Jade provides us with another quality spin option and has the potential to play an important role spinning the ball away from the bat. Leg-spin has been a big part of our success in recent years and while Alana King is currently doing that role for us, there’s no reason we couldn’t play both in the same team if conditions and match-ups suit.
“Grace didn’t get much of a go in the recent T20s, but she brings the versatility to bat anywhere in the top or middle order and her bowling could also be a real asset throughout the tournament as we’ve seen orthodox spinners have a lot of success in New Zealand.
“Sophie Molineux unfortunately misses out due to injury; she was unlikely to be available until the backend of the tournament and with limited match time and having to complete ten days managed isolation, it was a tough call, but we weren’t prepared to take the risk.
“It’s incredibly disappointing for Tayla to miss out as well. We’re really disappointed for her after injuring her foot again and will continue to work with her as she recovers.
“Some seriously good players have missed out, but we’ve been able to include them as standby players should injury or COVID come into play.
“Hannah and Georgia will travel with the squad and can play a variety of roles if required. Hannah impressed during the India series, while Georgia continues to impress with the bat and importantly offers a back-up ‘keeping option.
“Our group of stand-by players are able to replace anyone in the squad up to the day we depart Australia on 10 February and so we’ve looked at all skill sets to make sure we can cover anything that might happen between now and then.”
Aussie cricket fans can watch every ball of every match of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 live and free on Kayo Sports.
Australia World Cup Fixtures
5 March, 12pm, Australia v England, Seddon Park, Hamilton
8 March, 12pm, Australia v Pakistan, Bay Oval, Tauranga
13 March, 9am, New Zealand v Australia, Basin Reserve, Wellington
15 March, 9am, Australia v West Indies, Basin Reserve, Wellington
19 March, 12pm, India v Australia, Eden Park, Auckland
22 March, 9am, South Africa v Australia, Basin Reserve, Wellington
25 March, 9am, Bangladesh v Australia, Basin Reserve, Wellington
*All times are AEDT
