Cricket Australia (CA) have announced the 15-member squad for the upcoming multi-format series against England, scheduled to begin in June this year. Opening batter Phoebe Litchfield has been named in the outfit alongside Kim Garth. The tour features one Test, three T20Is and as many ODIs.
Litchfield, who hit back-to-back half-centuries in her first two ODIs against Pakistan in January, is close to making her Test debut in the one-off Ashes Test, starting June 22 in Nottingham. She might replace Rachael Haynes, who retired in September last year.
Garth, on the other hand, recently participated in the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) for the Gujarat Giants, where she took 11 wickets in seven matches, including a remarkable five-wicket haul in the first game.
Depending on the playing conditions at Trent Bridge, where the only Test match is scheduled to be played, Garth could also make her debut in the longest format. Notably, the one-off Test in the multi-format Ashes series will be a five-day game, which is a change from the previous four-day format used in women’s cricket.
The likes of Heather Graham and Tayla Vlaeminck have been named in Australia A squad that will tour concurrently with the main unit.
“Following the success of the side at the recent T20 World Cup, the focus now turns to the exciting challenge of retaining the Ashes away from home. We’ve been fortunate to have a consistent side across all formats over the past couple of years, and as a result, we have selected a similar group to the squad which won the T20 World Cup in February. Phoebe Litchfield has taken her game to the next level in the past 12 months, we view her as a long-term player for Australia, and it’s pleasing to reward her progress with selection in an Ashes squad,” said national selector Shawn Flegler as quoted by cricket.com.au.
Australia Ashes squad: Meg Lanning (captain), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy (wicketkeeper), Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham
Australia A squad: 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
