‘The pecking order’s clear’: Australia aim to send T20 World Cup into a spin with squad selection

A fit Sophie Molineux will create a spin selection squeeze as Australia hunt T20 World Cup redemption. The left-armer and new captain has fully recovered from a lower back issue that interrupted her transition into the top job.

In camp this week at Brisbane’s National Cricket Centre, the side will play five warm-up games in England and Wales before their T20 World Cup campaign begins against South Africa on 13 June.

Molineux, who has succeeded the retired Alyssa Healy, will be a lock in the side despite Australia boasting world-class spin trio Ashleigh Gardner, Alana King and Georgia Wareham.

King took a record 7-18 against South Africa in last year’s 50-over World Cup, and was player of the series after collecting 23 wickets in last year’s Ashes triumph.

Left out of Australia’s T20 squad that toured India, King returned in the West Indies and took five wickets at an average of 11, conceding just 5.5 runs an over while bowling in the powerplay.

Chief selector Shawn Flegler said all four spinners could play in the same side, but that Molineux’s position wasn’t in question.

“She’s our skipper and she’s going to play ... left-arm orthodox, it’s highly valued in the women’s game,” he said. “Georgia’s been a number one legspinner. Alana’s come in and done really well.

“But I think the pecking order is pretty clear. We’ve got Ash, Soph and Georgia, and then if conditions allowed, then Alana comes into it as well.”

Molineux, who led a team-building fireside chat on Sunday on a property outside of Brisbane to set the tone, said there were no restrictions on her bowling.

She will captain in a World Cup for the first time, with the champion side licking some wounds after semi-final exits in the most recent 50-over and 20-over events.

“We’ve got so much skill and experience, we’ve got some new energy,” Molineux said. “Being able to bring it all together and being able to perform in those those big moments where we’ve been on the other side of in the last couple of World Cups, that’s what’s really driving this group.”

Left-arm quick Lucy Hamilton, 20, was also included in the 15-player squad on Wednesday, with Darcie Brown the surprise omission in a squad stacked with right-arm pace options.

“She was obviously disappointed,” Flegler said of Brown. “We’ve been trying to get Darc up over the last couple of years to be a front-line bowler and bowl in that powerplay and she just hasn’t quite nailed that opportunity, but we still think she’s going to have a great career for Australia as well.

“She’s still a young fast bowler, this is certainly not the end, and she may well get called up during the World Cup anyway.”

Bundaberg product Hamilton debuted in all three formats for Australia in March. While the men’s program has been blessed with left-arm fast bowling talent, it’s a skill rarely seen in the women’s game.