Stella Campbell, Lauren Smith out of WNCL opening match after COVID-19 close contact

WNCL) matches. They have been in close contact of a club team-mate, who tested positive for COVID-19 and will have to sit out of the opening round fixtures of Breakers when they take on Victoria on Friday (December 17) at the Junction Oval in Melbourne.

The duo was in action during the Women’s Premier Cricket fixture where they played alongside the positive tested player. Once they were made aware of the news, they went into isolation and since then have been tested negative in three PCR tests. 19-year-old Campbell recently made her international debut in the series against India, while Smith was last seen in action during the WBBL07 where she turned up for Sydney Thunder.

“Campbell and Smith are close contacts and they are currently isolating. As a consequence, they are unavailable to play in the Breakers’ opening WNCL match, scheduled for Melbourne on Friday,” NSW Heath department confirmed.

Breakers leg-spinner Jade Allen also featured in the same club match as part of the opposition. But since she is deemed only as a casual contact and returned with negative PCR tests, Allen has been cleared to play in the opening match.

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The decision on the availability of Campbell and Smith for the second fixture that’s scheduled to be played in the same venue against the same opposition on December 19 will be made at a later time. They will need clearance from the relevant officials from the health department, Cricket Australia and Cricket New South Wales for the same.

Australia wicket-keeper Alyssa Healy will lead the Breakers side, while Ellyse Perry will be in charge of the Victoria side in the absence of regular skipper Meg Lanning. Victoria will also be without Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham, both the spinners suffered major injuries during their WBBL07 campaigns.

NSW Breakers: Alyssa Healy (c), Jade Allen, Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes, Emma Hughes, Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Claire Moore, Tahlia Wilson

Victoria: Ellyse Perry (c), Tiana Atkinson, Samantha Bates, Makinley Blows, Lucy Cripps, Sophie Day, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Ella Hayward, Anna Lanning, Rhys McKenna, Rhiann O’Donnell, Lara Shannon, Annabel Sutherland, Amy Vine, Tayla Vlaeminck