Lanning will lead Southern Stars to defend The Ashes

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India - the key to any potential shift for Women's Tests: Meg Lanning

Meg Lanning in Tests. ©CA

Cricket Australia have announced the squad that will travel to the United Kingdom to defend Ashes.



20-year old fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck and experienced opener Nicole Bolton have been included in the squad. Both the players missed the series against New Zealand earlier in the year due to injury and personal reasons respectively.



The 14-member squad will contest for the Ashes in multi-format, point based series. Selectors have named one squad to cover all three formats in the UK – the Ashes rivals will meet in three ODIs, one Test and three T20Is from July 2 – including five potential Test debutants, alongside the 13-strong ‘A’ group.



Current international hopefuls and up-and-coming young guns have been named in the Australia ‘A’ squad to be coached by Leah Poulton.



The allrounder Sophie Molineux has missed out on a spot in the touring party as she recovers from the shoulder surgery that prematurely ended her domestic summer, instead included in the Australia A squad that will tour the UK at the same time as the senior side.



They’ll play a series of 50-over and 20-over matches against England and an England Academy side, while also taking on England in a three-day red-ball warm-up ahead of the Ashes Test.



"Tayla was under an injury cloud but she’s back bowling and has had a terrific off-season up in Brisbane, so we’re really excited to see what she can do in English conditions," National Selector Shawn Flegler said.



"Sophie has been doing everything she could do prove her fitness having had a shoulder reconstruction back in February, but she still needs a bit more time to make sure she’s 100 per cent so she’ll travel to England with the Australia A side.



"We’re fortunate to be able to take an Australia A side to England as well which will give us flexibility with the squad as we move through the various formats."



"This tour is a terrific opportunity for these players to test themselves in notoriously tricky English conditions, with most of the squad also part of the Australia A tour to India last year," Flegler further added.



"We have a really strong pathway in place for our female cricketers and this group represents the next generation of Australian players, so to be able to invest and give them this experience is incredibly valuable."



 



Australia A Squad



Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Josie Dooley, Heather Graham, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Redmayne, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland, Rachel Trenaman, Belinda Vakarewa, Amanda-Jade Wellington



Australia A schedule



Warm-up match



June 29: England v Australia A, Loughborough



One-day matches



July 3: England Women’s Academy v Australia, Loughborough



July 5: England Women’s Academy v Australia, Loughborough



July 8: England Women’s Academy v Australia, Loughborough



Three-day tour match



July 12-14: England v Australia A, Millfield School, Street



20-over matches



July 17: England Women’s Academy v Australia, Millfield School, Street



July 19: England Women’s Academy v Australia, Millfield School, Street



 



Australia squad



Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham



June 26: England Academy v Australia, Loughborough



June 28:  England Academy v Australia, Loughborough



July 2: First ODI, Grace Road, Leicester



July 4: Second ODI, Grace Road, Leicester



July 7:  Third ODI, St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury



July 11-13: England Academy v Australia, Marlborough College, Swindon



July 18-21: Only Test, The County Ground, Taunton



July 26: First T20, County Ground, Chelmsford



July 28: Second T20, The County Ground, Hove



July 31: Third T20, Bristol County Ground, Bristol
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