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Upon a strong international comeback, spin-bowling all-rounder Sophie Molineux has earned a Cricket Australia central contract as part of a 17-player group for 2024/2025. Cricket Australia announced the list on Monday, with the contract period including both a T20 World Cup in Bangladesh and a much-anticipated multi-format Ashes series on home soil, as per ICC.
The 26-year-old had been upgraded during Australia's tour of Bangladesh that was held from March 21 to April 4 and keeps her spot for the new contract period, while Meg Lanning dropped off the list following her international retirement in November last year. During the series, Molineux took five wickets in two ODIs and six wickets in three T20Is. Sophie was also part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Women's Premier League (IPL) triumph, taking 12 wickets in 10 matches, including a three-wicket haul in finals and scored some valuable runs as well. Before all this, Sophie had featured in international cricket back in 2021. Upon the announcement, Cricket Australia's Head of Performance and National Selector Shawn Flegler praised Molineux's fight to hold down a place in the Australian XI after coming back from a run of injuries, and the depth of the playing group ready to represent the country. "We are pleased to be able to offer Soph (Molineux) a contract after her successful return to the side this summer," said Flegler as quoted by ICC. "She has shown a great deal of resilience to get back to full fitness and she will play an important role next summer." "We feel the list features a great deal of depth and a variety of skillsets that will come into play throughout the various series scheduled for 2024-25, including the T20 World Cup and multi-format Ashes series," he concluded. Having returned from their successful tour of Bangladesh, the nation hosting the upcoming T20 World Cup from September to October this year, the Australian team will begin preparation training camps from May to prepare for the global tournament, and host New Zealand for three T20Is in early September. After the T20 World Cup, Australia host India and New Zealand for three ODIs each, before their Ashes series against old foes England from January 12. Players not awarded contracts as part of the initial 17 can earn a contract throughout the year by accruing upgrade points, earned after appearing in international fixtures. Cricket Australia contracted women's players 2024-25: Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jessica Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham. (ANI)
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