Fresh off her maiden ton, Georgia Voll earns a spot for ODI series against New Zealand

Georgia Voll’s meteoric rise in international cricket continues as the young batter has been added to Australia’s ODI squad for their upcoming tour of New Zealand. Voll’s sensational start against India in Brisbane last week, which included an unbeaten score of 46 and a commanding 101, has solidified her place in the national team.

]The 21-year-old became the third-youngest Australian woman to score a maiden ODI century, reaching the milestone in just her second international match. Filling in as an opener for injured captain Alyssa Healy, Voll’s composed performances have left an indelible mark on the Australian setup.

Originally not named in the 13-player squad for the Trans-Tasman series, Voll’s inclusion now sees her joining Healy, who is returning after recovering from knee and foot injuries that cut short her WBBL campaign. The series against New Zealand is set to feature three back-to-back ODIs in Wellington starting December 19.

Australia Women’s Squad for 3 ODIs against New Zealand:

Alyssa Healy (C), Tahlia McGrath (VC), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Georgia Voll

In another significant move, Cricket Australia has appointed Gavan Twining as the national women’s team’s full-time fielding and wicket-keeping coach. Twining, the current NSW Breakers Head Coach, will step into his new role after wrapping up NSW’s WNCL fixtures against Tasmania this weekend. Twining, known for his expertise and innovative methods, will join assistants Scott Prestwidge and Dan Marsh.

Beth Mooney, Australia’s wicketkeeper-batter, is excited to reunite with Twining, having trained with him during the inaugural Women’s Premier League in India.

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“He’s a great human (and) he’s got a lot of ideas in the fielding space,” said Mooney. “The knowledge in that dressing room is going to be huge leading into that World Cup (next year), and to be able to add someone with the energy and the knowledge of Gav is huge.”

Alyssa Healy, who sat out the India series to focus on her fitness ahead of January’s Women’s Ashes, has been closely following Voll’s progress. On the day of Voll’s century, Healy was seen batting in the nets, signaling positive strides in her recovery.

Ellyse Perry, another stalwart of Australian cricket, lauded Voll’s composure and adaptability.

“She’s just really unflappable and just seems to take every opportunity in her stride,” Perry remarked. “In Georgia’s case, she’s firmly put herself in the mind of the team and selectors going forward, that’s for sure.”

With an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series against India, Australia is keen to secure a clean sweep to strengthen their position atop the ICC Women’s Championship table. Voll’s stellar form, coupled with the team’s depth, sets a promising tone as they prepare for the challenges ahead. The third ODI between Australia and India is scheduled on December 11th in Perth from 9:50 am onwards.