×

ICC Women’s World Cup 2017: Australia announces preliminary squad

The National Selection Panel (NSP) has named an extended 21-player Australian squad ahead of the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup.

The National Selection Panel (NSP) has named an extended 21-player Australian squad ahead of the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup in England and Wales. A mix of current Australian representatives make up the bulk of the squad along with the uncapped bowling quartet of Sarah Aley, Piepa Cleary, Molly Strano and Belinda Vakarewa, all of whom could be in line to make their One-Day International debuts this winter. After initially joining the squad in Brisbane on Monday, Lauren Cheatle has since returned home to Sydney where she will consult a specialist next week for an ongoing shoulder injury. ICC Women’s World Cup 2017: PCB announce 15-member squad

Team medical staff have ruled Cheatle out of World Cup contention, with surgical intervention likely to be required to allow her to cope with the demands of elite cricket and to ensure she has every opportunity to get her body right ahead of the Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes Series in October. The final 15-player squad will be selected following a three-week training camp at the Bupa National Cricket Centre in Brisbane from 24 April – 12 May. Following selection of the squad, National Selector Shawn Flegler said: “We are really excited about players that have been chosen in this initial squad and are looking forward to seeing them put their best foot forward over the next three weeks. ICC Women’s World Cup 2017: IND vs ENG match tickets nearly sold out

“There’s some great depth in the squad with the more experienced players complemented by a number of new faces who have shown they can hold their own at this level. The ICC Women’s Championship showed us how tough this year’s tournament is going to be and the players know they’re going to have to be at the top of their game to win the title.” Sachin Tendulkar: We can all enjoy at ICC Women’s World Cup 2017

Australia will be looking to make a strong start to their campaign which begins on 26 June against the West Indies at The Country Ground, Taunton. England, New Zealand, West Indies, India, South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will join Australia in the tournament with each side to face off against the other seven nations concluding with semi-finals at Bristol and Derby before the final at Lords on 23 July. Australia are the defending champions having won a record sixth World Cup in 2013 after defeating the West Indies by 114 runs in the final in India.

The squad is as follows:

Name State
Sarah Aley NSW
Kristen Beams VIC
Alex Blackwell NSW
Nicole Bolton WA
Piepa Cleary WA
Holly Ferling QLD
Ashleigh Gardner NSW
Grace Harris QLD
Rachael Haynes NSW
Alyssa Healy NSW
Jess Jonassen QLD
Meg Lanning VIC
Tahlia McGrath SA
Beth Mooney QLD
Erin Osborne ACT
Ellyse Perry NSW
Megan Schutt SA
Molly Strano VIC
Belinda Vakarewa NSW
Elyse Villani WA
Amanda-Jade Wellington SA

Australia’s World Cup schedule:

 June 26: Australia v West Indies, Taunton

June 29: Australia v Sri Lanka, Bristol

July 2: Australia v New Zealand, Bristol

July 5: Australia v Pakistan, Leicester

July 9: Australia v England, Bristol

July 12: Australia v India, Bristol

July 15: Australia v South Africa, Taunton

July 18: First semi-final, Bristol

July 20: Second semi-final, Derby

July 23: Final, Lord’s

trending this week