Pacer Darcie Brown, who has recovered from her foot injury, was on Monday named in Australia’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup even as the defending champions left out experienced spinner Jess Jonassen. Brown, who pulled out of the tour of Bangladesh in March due to a foot injury, is now fully fit and will be joined by fellow pacer Tayla Vlaeminck. “The pace duo of Tayla and Darcie is one we’ve been wanting to unleash for a while and is a real point of difference for us,” selection chief Shawn Flegler said.
The team, which will be vying for a fourth consecutive T20 title, will be led by Alyssa Healy while Tahlia McGrath will be her deputy in the tournament beginning in the UAE on October 3. “This is the first time in a long time we’ve had our entire contract list available for selection ahead of a World Cup and it’s resulted in a really stable and balanced squad,” Flegler said.
“It’s the first time Alyssa will have the reins at a World Cup and we’ve already seen what her and Tahlia bring from a leadership perspective, so it’s exciting for them to have this opportunity to lead their country on the biggest stage,” Flegler added.
Left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux and Grace Harris have also recovered from their injuries.
Molineux was forced to pull out of The Hundred having suffered an acute rib fracture after being struck by a ball while batting in the off season while Harris also missed the English franchise league due to a calf injury.
However, left-arm spinner Jonassen has been left out of the squad again despite being the joint highest wicket-taker for Delhi Capitals in the Women’s Premier League and the third-highest wicket-taker in The Hundred earlier this month.
“Jess Jonassen is again unlucky to miss out but we’ve been impressed with the way she’s bounced back and we’ll continue to monitor her form ahead of the home summer,” Flegler said.
She will miss a T20 World Cup for the first time since her debut in 2012, having featured in five tournament wins since then.
Rising star Phoebe Litchfield will play in her first World Cup and Flegler said she will be “a real x-factor” within an experienced squad.
Australia will play three T20Is against New Zealand next month in the run up to the T20 World Cup.
All-rounder Heather Graham, who won’t travel to the UAE, will be the only addition to the squad for the series against New Zealand.
Squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Tayla Vlaeminck.
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