Megan Schutt all set to return for Adelaide Strikers with weekend fixtures

WBBL). They started the season with two wins before a rained-out game and eventually suffered their first loss against Brisbane Heat on Sunday (October 24).

25-year-old McGrath, who has been leading the side in regular skipper Megan Schutt’s absence, said that the Australia spearhead is ready to return to action with the weekend fixtures.

“She is available for selection, we are just waiting on some paperwork at the moment,” McGrath said at a media interaction on Wednesday (October 27). “She is going to be an awesome inclusion, everything - fingers crossed - going to plan. We will welcome her back with open arms and she will only strengthen our side, so hopefully you see her on the park on Saturday.”

“She is one of the best in the world. But (when) your bowling line up is doing so well. That's a really good problem to have; when you have got so much competition for spots. If ‘Shooter’ is available and comes back in, whoever misses out will be extremely unlucky.”

28-year-old Schutt opted out of the multi-format India series and the opening leg of the WBBL07 after the birth of her first child.

“She is the ultimate professional. She has been playing a bit of club cricket and she has been out with our Emerging Scorpions program. This morning, she has been telling me about all the PBs she has been hitting in the gym,” McGrath added.

“She is ready, we know exactly what we will get from Shooter. She is one of the best in the world for a reason. To get her slot straight back in and excited to see what she's doing. Sure she is chomping at the bit to get back into some game time and getting back on the blue Strikers uniform.”

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Despite the loss against Heat, one of the highlights of the game was Darice Brown becoming the first bowler for Strikers to take a hat-trick. McGrath said what the 18-year-old Brown did was a fantastic achievement and the whole team was proud of her feat.

“When we got out there, we were on the back foot a bit. They got off to a really good start and then Darce came back for us and took that hat trick,” McGrath said . “She, sort of, shifted the momentum back in our favour at that stage. Outstanding from her to (become) first Striker to get a hat-trick was a pretty special little achievement for her.”

“Darce is very chill, very shy. Sometimes she needs to celebrate her achievements a bit more. We didn't really get a chance to celebrate. But we brought it a few times and watched it in team meetings a few times.”

The Australia allrounder continued her good form the international season to put in two back-to-back match-winning performances in the first two matches. McGrath said that she is just enjoying her stint at the helm. She added that has been getting guidance from South Africa skipper Dane van Niekerk and assistant coach Charlotte Edwards.

“It’s been nice to have (made) some contribution to the team, it's been nice to get a few runs away. From my point of view, I am just loving the captaincy side of cricket at the moment. I am learning along the way and leaning on people in my team like Dane and Charlotte Edwards on the side lines,” McGrath concluded.