Due to injuries, teenage all-rounder Lucy Hamilton and Australian women’s captain Sophie Molineux will not play in the forthcoming three-match ODI series against Bangladesh. Both players should be well in time for Australia’s Twenty20 International series against New Zealand later this month, though.
For the Bangladesh ODIs and New Zealand T20Is, Australia announced a joint 14-player squad on Tuesday. The three-match ODI series between Australia and Bangladesh will take place in Brisbane from October 9 to 14. Tahlia McGrath will captain the Australian team.
If Molineux is unable to play in any of the three matches against New Zealand from October 18 to 22 in Sydney, vice captain Ashleigh Gardner is anticipated to lead the T20I team.
Bangladesh ODIs will not include Sophie Molineux
Molineux’s hip injury hasn’t healed enough for her to play in the ODI series, according to national selector Shawn Flegler. After returning from The Hundred, the Australian skipper sustained the injury, and he hasn’t fully healed. She actually sustained a hip injury shortly after returning from the Hundred. Flegler was quoted, “She went into Cricket Victoria training, and at first it seemed like a fairly innocuous hip injury. Unfortunately, it just didn’t progress as quickly as we thought up until the weekend, to be honest, and then she’s sort of turned the corner.
“However, I believe it’s too close for the ODI series. For the T20 matches, she will be ready. However, we will continue to evaluate during that specific series. Unfortunately, though, I can confirm that she will not participate in any of the ODIs against Bangladesh.
Australia hopes Molineux will be eligible for the T20I series against New Zealand, since she will be with the team during the tour. Australia will be led by Ashleigh Gardner when they play New Zealand.
McGrath has been given the captaincy ahead of Gardner because Molineux is unable to play in the Bangladesh ODIs. Since being named vice-captain, the latter has not commanded Australia in any capacity.
Even though Cricket Australia had supported Gardner’s continuation as vice-captain, her leadership role had come under fire after her relationship with colleague Georgia Voll became known.
In the event that Molineux is unable to play, Flegler affirmed that Gardner will assume the role of captain for the New Zealand T20Is.”I’m confident Ash will perform admirably if given the chance,” Flegler remarked.I believe she will be okay with that. The board has approved the captaincy roles. I can see that leadership group doing incredibly well because Soph will be travelling with us anyhow. They work pretty well together, and I don’t see any problems developing.”
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Hamilton, on the other hand, will not play in the Bangladesh series due to a minor quad strain sustained during training. In time for the T20I series against New Zealand, Flegler anticipates the left-arm bowler’s recuperation.
As a result, Australia will only have 12 players available for the Bangladesh ODIs, which will take place at Allan Border Field over the course of six days.
Due to a back injury he received during Australia’s A tour of India, Darcie Brown will miss both series. Her injury could keep her out for up to ten weeks, thus her availability for the Women’s Big Bash League is still unknown.
Additionally, Grace Harris, who played for Australia in the T20 World Cup, has not been included in the roster for either series.
Australia Women squad vs Bangladesh and New Zealand
Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton (T20I only), Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux (capt), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham.
