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Cricket Australia has announced a 15-member squad for the highly-anticipated Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The side remains unchanged after ICC World Cup's triumph earlier this year, as Amanda-Jade Wellington and Grace Harris retained their places in the squad. Additionally, the same squad will play the tri-series agarinst Ireland & Pakistan ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
Top-seeded all-rounder Ellyse Perry is expected to play as a batter as she is still recovering from a stress fracture in her lower back. The tri-series at the Bready Cricket Club in Northern Ireland will provide the ideal preparation for Meg Lanning's side under interim head coach Shelley Nitschke. After Matthew Mott took the role of England men's white-ball coach, Nitschke stepped up and was appointed interim head coach.
Tayla Vlaeminck and Georgia Wareham have been excluded from the squad as both are continuing their rehabilitation. Alyssa Healy will play a crucial role as the top-order batter after she was rewarded with the Player of the Match in the summit clash of the World Cup and Player of the Tournament. She scored 170 runs in the final clash and amassed 509 runs in the tournament, including a couple of hundreds.
Australia has been placed in Group A of the Commonwealth Game with India and Pakistan. Australia will take on India in their opening Commonwealth Games group fixture on July 29.
"To be there with athletes from badminton, squash, lawn bowls, and a host of other sports will be a wonderful new experience for our players to embrace. We've all grown up watching the Commonwealth Games on TV, seeing Australian athletes inspire the rest of the country, and we're hoping to do the same," Lanning said.
Australia's Commonwealth Games Squad:
Meg Lanning (C), Rachael Haynes (VC), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington
Australia's T20I Tri-Series Fixtures:
July 16, 4 pm, Australia v Pakistan
July 17, 4 pm, Ireland v Australia
July 21, 4 pm, Ireland v Australia
July 23, 4 pm, Pakistan v Australia
All matches at the Bready Cricket Club, Derry, Northern Ireland.
Australia's Commonwealth Games Group Fixtures:
July 29: Australia v India
July 31: Barbados v Australia
August 3: Australia v Pakistan