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Cricket Australia on Thursday announced the list of 15 women's players to be offered national contracts for 2021-22.
Pacer Darcie Brown has been handed her first contract in the one change from last year's list replacing Delissa Kimmince who has announced her retirement. The 18-year old made her debut T20Is and ODIs on the recent tour of New Zealand having impressed during the domestic circuits. "The contracts are primarily assessed on player performances during the past 12 months and identify those whom the National Selection Panel believe will represent Australian teams over the year ahead," CA said in a release. Cricket Australia's Female High Performance Manager and National Selector Shawn Flegler said: "We're proud of the playing group for the resilience and hard work they displayed over a challenging season, which for many included multiple quarantines and hubs, as we now look ahead to a huge year of cricket.""Since our loss to India in the semi-final of the 2017 World Cup, we've been focussed on winning the trophy back. The World Cup in New Zealand is, therefore, a big focus for the playing group, as are the home series against our great rivals England and India," Flegler said. "The only change from last year's contract list is the inclusion of Darcie Brown for Delissa Kimmince, who has decided to retire from the game. Darcie is an incredibly exciting fast-bowling talent, as we saw on the recent T20I and ODI tour of New Zealand, and she has consistently been the fastest bowler in the country as shown by our testing around the states. She's had tremendous raw pace throughout the junior ranks and we think she has the potential to form an excellent new-ball partnership with Tayla Vlaeminck for many years to come," Flegler added. Kimmince, who made her Australia debut in 2008, has called time on a career that included 16 ODI and 44 T20I appearances where she was part of the T20 World Cup-winning squads of 2014, 2018 and 2020. She has also won two WBBL titles with Brisbane Heat. Flegler thanked Kimmince for her services to the nation and said she was an important member of the Ashes and T20 World Cup-winning squads. "DK should be incredibly proud of her contribution to Australian cricket. She made her international debut at the very young age of 18, took a break from the game and returned to make a huge contribution at all levels. During that time she developed from a raw fast bowler into a genuine all-rounder and has been regarded as one of the best fielders in the world. She's been a wonderful teammate and an important member of our Ashes- and T20 World Cup-winning squads and we thank her for her outstanding service to the game," he said. Australian women's team will host India and England this summer before heading to New Zealand for the ICC World Cup in March, 2022. The Australians are the No. 1 ranked T20I and ODI women's teams in the world. (ANI)
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