McGrath, Cheatle back for England ODIs
Tahlia McGrath, the all-rounder, and Lauren Cheatle, the left-arm pacer, have been recalled to the Australia One-Day International squad for the Women's Ashes starting at the end of this month, Cricket Australia announced on Tuesday (October 10).
McGrath and Cheatle have been included in both the ODI and Test squads. The Twenty20 International squad is set to be announced at the conclusion of the third ODI in Coffs Harbour on October 29. Rachael Haynes will captain both the ODI and Test sides, with Meg Lanning having been ruled out due to a shoulder injury.
Incidentally, Cheatle herself will make her comeback after undergoing surgery on her shoulder that put her out of contention for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, where Australia crashed out at the semi-final stage after being beaten by India. Cheatle made her international debut in the T20I series against India at home in 2016, and her last outing for the national side was during the ODI series against New Zealand earlier this year. She has since turned out for New South Wales in the Women's National Cricket League, getting overs under her belt.
McGrath had played only one ODI, against South Africa in November 2016, before stress fractures hampered her off-season. But the all-rounder has made a full recovery, representing South Australia and making contributions with the bat and ball.
The pair are the only two changes from the Women’s World Cup squad that sees Lanning, Sarah Aley and Belinda Vakarewa miss out. They are two of six uncapped players in the 15-player squad for the inaugural Women's day-night Test in Sydney from November 9 alongside Vakarewa, Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney and Amanda Jade-Wellington.
Gardner and Wellington are both in line to be handed the coveted Baggy Green based on performances since their debuts in the past 12 months. While Gardner became only the second Indigenous woman to debut for Australia when she took the field in a T20I against New Zealand earlier this year, Wellington took a wicket with her first ball on her international debut and is regarded as a legitimate option with her leg-spin.
The Test squad is set to be reduced to 13 players after a three-day pink-ball warm-up match against an ACT Invitational XI in Canberra in November.
Squad for ODIs: Kristen Beams, Alex Blackwell (vice-capt), Nicole Bolton, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes (capt), Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington.
Squad for one-off day-night Test (to be trimmed to 13): Kristen Beams, Alex Blackwell (vice-capt), Nicole Bolton, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes (capt), Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Belinda Vakarewa, Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington.