Cricket Australia (CA) on the 29th of March announced Australia’s squad for the Women’s Ashes that’ll be played in the United Kingdom in June-July. CA also announced an Australia A squad that’ll take on England A and the series is likely to commence a day or two after the one-off Test of the Women’s Ashes.
A highlight of Australia’s A squad is the return of Tayla Vlaeminck who’ll return to action after a lengthy layoff from foot fractures she suffered back in January 2022. The speedster isn’t the only capped Australian in a squad of youngsters as she’s got company in Amanda-Jade Wellington and Heather Graham.
Australia A squad for the UK tour 2023
Maitlan Brown, Lauren Cheatle, Maddy Darke, Heather Graham, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Charli Knott, Kate Peterson, Courtney Sippel, Tayla Vlaeminck, Courtney Webb, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Tahlia Wilson
Australia’s keeper-batter, Alyssa Healy recently turned 33 and CA is looking to get their next crop furnished and ready for international cricket by the time Healy retires or meanwhile as an injury replacement, the selectors have roped in as many as 3 young keeper-batters in Tahlia Wilson, Maddy Darke, and Nicole Faltum.
Australia also is getting their next lot of pacers or call them batting/bowler all-rounders ready. While the squad of 13 features a lone off-spinner in Charlie Knott, there’s Maitlan Brown (Right-armer), Lauren Cheatle (Left-armer), Tess Flintoff (Right-armer), Kate Peterson (Right-armer), the ‘Betty Wilson Young Cricketer,’ Courtney Sippel (Right-armer), and Courtney Webb (Right-armer) competing in similar roles.
The squad for Australia A, who will be facing England A in 3 T20I and 3 ODI matches simultaneous to the Ashes#CricketTwitter #Ashes pic.twitter.com/aPpxu6Nuli
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) March 30, 2023
While questions were raised on Nicola Carey and Georgia Redmayne’s omissions, it’s now understood that the former wasn’t available for selection, while the latter was unavailable for the UK trip as she continues to rehabilitate a torn Achilles.
Quoting, national selector Shawn Flegler, on the squad picked, “(It is) a bit more of a look to the future. There’s still some players who had very good domestic seasons, Courtney Webb scored a lot of runs, Nic Faltum had a really good season, we’ve obviously gone with three keepers in there as well so that’s a bit of a nod to the future as well, to give them all a bit of a crack and see how they go.
“We’d would like to give them all an opportunity and I’ve had discussions with all three of them about that. It’s just a great chance for all three to experience those conditions overseas.
“Nic Faltum has actually already gone over to England, she’s going to be playing some cricket over there beforehand, so she’ll join the squad once we arrive in England. The other two, Maddy and Tahlia, will join us for a couple of camps up here in Brisbane prior to the tour getting away.”