Skipper back in the swing as Aussies sharpen WC prep Sophie Molineux has confirmed her full recovery from a back injury that had disrupted her role as Australia’s captain, expressing confidence in her readiness for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The skipper made a successful return to bowling during Australia’s two warm-up matches against South Africa in Arundel last week, delivering six overs across both games with economical figures of 2-17 and 1-16. Her performance marked a key step in the team’s preparations ahead of the tournament, which kicks off with a match against South Africa on June 13. Speaking to reporters in London, Molineux emphasized her relief at being back to full fitness and highlighted the importance of early injury management. “It’s all good, which is really nice, just to be able to play freely and, touch wood, hopefully this lasts for a long time,” she said. She credited her medical team for their proactive approach in addressing the injury, ensuring she would not face any complications during the World Cup. “Working closely with our medical team and picking it up pretty early meant we were able to put things in place to make sure that it didn’t ever become a touch-and-go situation.” Australia’s preparations continued with two additional warm-up matches in Cardiff this week, scheduled against England on June 9 and West Indies on June 11. Molineux noted that the team had tested various batting and bowling combinations during the South Africa games, including experimenting with Annabel Sutherland at No.3 in the opening match before reverting to Phoebe Litchfield in the usual first-drop position.#south_africa #australia #sophie_molineux #icc_women_s_t20_world_cup #annabel_sutherland
Australia all-rounder Nicola Carey has expressed her determination to reclaim a place in the national squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in June, as she continues her return to the team after a period away from the setup. The 32-year-old, known for her contributions to Australia’s success in the 2020 T20 World Cup and the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup, was recalled during the recent home series against India and has since been retained for the upcoming Caribbean tour. Carey emphasized the significance of rejoining the team, noting the comfort of familiar faces and the renewed energy of being back in the squad. “I obviously haven’t been here for a while, but coming back in, there’s a lot of familiar faces, which is always nice,” she said ahead of the ODI series against the West Indies. She also reflected on the contrast between being sidelined and being actively involved, stating, “When you’re out of it, you sit back and think, I don’t know how they do it, not being at home that often. But when you’re in it, you just do it. It’s quite fun being around the group.” With the T20 World Cup approaching, Carey’s focus remains on securing a spot in the squad. “It’s a massive tournament. Everyone here would want to be a part of that. That’s the carrot dangling at the end of this. Everyone’s trying to put their best foot forward. I’m sure we’ll find out soon,” she added. Australia’s recent 3–0 sweep of the T20I series against India has bolstered their confidence ahead of the tournament, and the team is now shifting its attention to the ODI series against the West Indies. The ODI series will see the absence of star all-rounder Annabel Sutherland, who is managing her workload by missing the tour.#west_indies #icc_womens_t20_world_cup #nicola_carey #australia_cricket_team #annabel_sutherland
