Aussies unveil new name in their 14-player squad for Kiwis T20I tour
Preparations are clicking into place for Australia, as the countdown to their tour of New Zealand continues.
It's now under a month until they'll meet the Kiwis in the first of three T20Is, with the opener booked in for March 21 at Eden Park, Auckland.
The world's top-ranked Women's T20I outfit have named a 14-player squad which includes the replacement of - the frankly irreplaceable - Alyssa Healy, who continues to recover from a foot injury suffered last month, during her side's successful Ashes defence.
Tahlia McGrath will captain the team in Healy's absence, while 24-year-old Victorian Nicole Faltum will be in the mix as the team's wicket-keeper (along with versatile batting veteran Beth Mooney).
Faltum is no stranger to cricket's short format, having played in the last eight editions of Australia's domestic T20 competition, the WBBL. She is also an accomplished lower-order hitter.
In-form all-rounder Ash Gardner will work as McGrath's deputy for the series.
Tahlia McGrath might be No.1 in the T20I batting rankings but has the 'golden arm' to do just as much damage with the ball at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023
'It's exciting to be able to bring Nicole into the squad, she's been a consistent performer over a long period of time and will provide a strong back-up option to Beth who will take the gloves during the series,' Australian selector Shawn Flegler said in a release.
'While Beth was brilliant during the Ashes in Alyssa's absence, it's important we're continuing to look to the future and Nicole is certainly someone who we can see wearing the green and gold for a long period of time.'
Australia squad for Women's Tour of New Zealand:
Tahlia McGrath (c), Ash Gardner (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicole Faltum, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
Australian Women's Tour of New Zealand:
21 March: Eden Park, Auckland
23 March: Bay Oval, Tauranga
26 March: Sky Stadium, Wellington
Australian captain Meg Lanning and her team celebrated in style as they lifted the trophy at Newlands in Cape Town after beating South Africa in the final of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup.
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