Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars team announcement for series against India

The Cricket Australia women’s National Selection Panel today announced the 14-player Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars squad for the approaching series against India in Australia.

The series, which will be played in New South Wales and the ACT, includes five one-day matches and a Twenty20™ match.

The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars squad for the series is:

Player	Age	State	Player style
Alex Blackwell (vc)	25	NSW	RHB, RM
Kate Blackwell	25	NSW	RHB, RM
Leonie Coleman	29	NSW	RHB, WK
Lauren Ebsary	25	WA	RHB, RM
Sarah Edwards	26	VIC	RHB, LB
Jodie Fields	24	QLD	RHB, WK
Delissa Kimmince	19	QLD	RHB, RM
Shelley Nitschke	31	SA	LHB, SLA
Ellyse Perry	17	NSW	RHB, RMF
Kirsten Pike	23	QLD	RHB, RM
Leah Poulton	24	NSW	RHB, LB
Karen Rolton (c)	33	SA	LHB, LM
Emma Sampson	23	SA	RMF, LHB
Lisa Sthalekar	29	NSW	RHB, OB
Player style key: RHB – right-hand bat, LHB – left-hand bat, WKT – wicket- keeper, SLA – slow left-arm orthodox spinner, OB – right-arm off-spinner, LB – right-arm leg break, RM – right-arm medium, RMF – right-arm medium fast, LM – left-arm medium, LMF – left-arm medium fast

The series also includes lead-up matches between the Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars, Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars, India and the NSW Wolf Blass Breakers.

Chair of Selectors Margaret Jennings said: “The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars squad includes a couple of changes from the previous series in New Zealand played earlier in the year.

“Western Fury player Lauren Ebsary comes in to the squad and she is joined by New South Wales Wolf Blass Breakers player Leah Poulton.

“The unlucky players to go out of the team that toured New Zealand are fast bowler Sarah Andrews and all-rounder Renee Chappell, who we know will return to the WNCL with a strong desire to work hard and to get back in the squad.

“With the 2009 ICC Women’s World Cup rapidly approaching, we will be watching this series against India with high interest.

“India is a team quickly improving and it should be a terrific test of our group and a good test to have around six months out from women’s cricket’s showcase tournament.”

The series will be Richard McInnes’ first series in charge of the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars, after replacing Lisa Keightley in July.

McInnes, formerly Performance Analyst of the Australian men’s team, said he was looking forward to his first series as coach of the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars, as momentum builds to the ICC Women’s World Cup in NSW and the ACT next March.

“I’m really looking forward to the challenge of the next 12 months, which starts with this series against India in October and November.

“We’ve been working and training hard in last couple of months. We had a great training camp here in August which provided me with a good opportunity to engage with all the players.

“We’ve also set up a squad leadership group which comprises Karen Rolton, Alex Blackwell, Lisa Sthalekar and Shelley Nitschke, with Alex named vice captain.

“Since the Rose Bowl series in March we haven’t played a lot of cricket so this series will be a great opportunity for the team to have a solid hit-out against quality opposition in the lead-up to the WNCL getting underway in November.”

The CA women’s NSP today also named a 13-player squad for Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars (under-21):

Player	Age	State	Player style
Cassie Brock	17	VIC	RHB, LB
Jessica Cameron (vc)	19	VIC	RHB, LB
Sarah Coyte	17	NSW	RHB, RM
Ashleigh Endacott	18	NSW	LHB, LM
Corinne Hall	19	NSW	RHB, OB
Alyssa Healy	18	NSW	RHB, WK
Emma Inglis (c)	20	VIC	RHB, WK
Jessica Jonassen	15	QLD	LHB, SLA
Renee Melton	19	VIC	RHB, OB
Stephanie Morrison	19	SA	RHB, RM
Emilee Preston	17	ACT	RHB, RM
Jo-Ann Verrall	19	QLD	RHB, RM
Elyse Villani	18	VIC	RHB, RM
Player style key: RHB – right-hand bat, LHB – left-hand bat, WKT – wicket- keeper, SLA – slow left-arm orthodox spinner, OB – right-arm off-spinner, LB – right-arm leg break, RM – right-arm medium, RMF – right-arm medium fast, LM – left-arm medium, LMF – left-arm medium fast