Pictured: Phoebe Litchfield bats during game two in the Women's Ashes T20 series between Australia and England at Manuka Oval
NSW stars Ash Gardner and Phoebe Litchfield have been selected by Cricket Australia’s National Selection Panel (NSP) in a 14-player squad for the CommBank Women’s T20 Tour of New Zealand.
Gardner has been named vice captain for the tour, while NSW teammate and regular Australian skipper, Alyssa Healy, was not considered due to injury.
Australia will play three T20 Internationals against World Champions, New Zealand from 21-26 March.
Cricket Australia’s Head of Performance (Women’s Cricket) and National Selector, Shawn Flegler said:
“Alyssa is unavailable for this series due to the foot injury she sustained during the Ashes. She’s working diligently on her rehab with the aim to have her fit for the one-day World Cup later in the year.
“These three matches against New Zealand will be another good test as to how the side has bounced back after the T20 World Cup; the team performed strongly during the Ashes and will be looking to build on that against the World Champions.”
Australian squad for CommBank Women’s Tour of New Zealand
Darcie Brown (Adelaide Strikers/Northern Districts CC)
Nicole Faltum (Melbourne Renegades/Dandenong CC
Ashleigh Gardner (Sydney Sixers/Bankstown CC) – vice-captain
Kim Garth (Melbourne Stars/Dandenong CC)
Grace Harris (Brisbane Heat/Western Suburbs CC)
Alana King (Perth Scorchers/Midland Guildford CC)
Phoebe Litchfield (Sydney Thunder/Sydney University CC)
Tahlia McGrath (Adelaide Strikers/Glenelg CC) – captain
Beth Mooney (Perth Scorchers/Sandgate-Redcliffe CC)
Ellyse Perry (Sydney Sixers/Dandenong CC)
Megan Schutt (Adelaide Strikers/Sturt CC)
Annabel Sutherland (Melbourne Stars/Prahran CC)
Georgia Voll (Sydney Thunder/Sandgate-Redcliffe District CC)
Georgia Wareham (Melbourne Renegades/Essendon Maribyrnong Park CC)
CommBank Women’s Tour of New Zealand
21 March: Eden Park, Auckland (2:45pm)
23 March: Bay Oval, Tauranga (2:45pm)
26 March: Sky Stadium, Wellington (2:45pm)
*All times are local