Teams for Under-19 WBBL exhibition games announced

Selection was done in conjunction with the WBBL clubs and sees as many as nine contracted players included in the group. The likes of Phoebe Litchfield, Hannah Darlington (both Sydney Thunder), Tess Flintoss (Melbourne Stars) and Stella Campbell (Sydney Sixers)— all of whom have taken the field for their respective clubs during this season’s WBBL— will take part in the matches.

Jodie Fields, former Australia captain, will coach Lanning XI, while Shelley Nitschke, former international-now-turned national team coach, will take charge of the Perry XI. Leah Poulton and Jono Dean will work as their respective assistant coaches.

“Now in its third year, these matches continue to play in important role in the development of the best underage talent in the country,” said Poulton. “The female player pathway is the strongest it has even been, and these matches certainly contribute to that along with regular overseas tours for the Australia Under-19 side.”

In recent years, Australia has been one of the only national teams with a strong underage pathway system, sending Australia Under-19 teams to South Africa and New Zealand to compete with their counterparts and gain experience. They have seen the likes of Georgia Wareham and Tayla Vlaeminck make seamless transitions to the senior international circuit. Poulton believes, with a Women’s Under-19 World Cup on the horizon, these WBBL exhibition games will continue to strengthen that system and help produce good players.

“Just recently we’ve seen how well players such as Phoebe Litchfield, Stella Campbell and Tess Flintoff have done stepping up to the WBBL which is the leading women’s domestic cricket league in the world, so it’s evident that the pathway is doing what its designed to do. It’s a really important period coming up for this age group with the ICC recently confirming an Under-19 World Cup and another Australia Under-19 tour scheduled for next year. The players will definitely be out to impress,” she concluded.

The teams will play two matches on November 23 and one on November 24 at the Phillip Oval in Canberra.

Lanning XI: Isabelle Arafas (Sydney Sixers), Jade Allen (Sydney Thunder), Darcie Brown* (Adelaide Strikers), Emma de Broughe (Adelaide Strikers), Tess Flintoff* (Melbourne Stars), Georgia Gall (Melbourne Renegades), Sienna Ginger (Brisbane Heat), Molly Healy (Perth Scorchers). Ruth Johnston (Brisbane Heat), Charli Knott* (Brisbane Heat), Caitlin Mair (Brisbane Heat), Kate Peterson* (Sydney Thunder)

Perry XI: Zoe Britcliffe (Perth Scorchers), Lucy Cripps* (Melbourne Stars), Stella Campbell* (Sydney Sixers), Hannah Darlington* (Sydney Thunder), Molly Godsell (Sydney Thunder), Ella Hayward (Melbourne Renegades), Emma Hughes* (Sydney Sixers), Phoebe Litchfield* (Sydney Thunder), Ella Marsh (Hobart Hurricanes), Lilly Mills* (Brisbane Heat), Courtney Sippel* (Brisbane Heat), Amy Smith (Hobart Hurricanes)

* WBBL contracted players