Aussie trio to make their Test debut in Taunton

Three Australians will debut in the sole Test of the women’s Ashes, after spin-bowling allrounders Sophie Molineux and Ashleigh Gardner, and right-arm quick Tayla Vlaeminck all received their Baggy Green caps on Thursday morning before captain Meg Lanning won the toss and elected to bat at Taunton’s County Ground.

Fittingly, men's Indigenous XI captain Dan Christian presented Gardner with cap No.174 - the off-spinner becoming just the third Indigenous cricketer to play a Test for Australia - while Australia legend Belinda Clark handed Molineux No.175. Australia spearhead Mitchell Starc was on hand to welcome fellow speedster Vlaeminck to the Test club with No.176.

It means fellow uncapped trio, pace-bowling allrounders Delissa Kimmince and Nicola Carey, and spinner Georgia Wareham missed out on selection for the Test, alongside batter Elyse Villani.

England will field two debutants of their own, with opener Amy Jones and left-arm spinner Kirstie Gordon receiving their caps from Natalie Sciver and Georgia Elwiss respectively.

Australia XI: Nicole Bolton, Alyssa Healy (wk), Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Rachael Haynes, Beth Mooney, Jess Jonassen, Sophie Molineux, Ashleigh Gardner, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaeminck.

England XI: Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones, Heather Knight (c), Georgia Elwiss, Nat Sciver, Sarah Taylor (wk), Katherine Brunt, Anya Shrubsole, Laura Marsh, Sophie Ecclestone, Kirstie Gordon.

Lanning said on Wednesday the pitch at Taunton was expected to be conducive to spin, with Molineux and Gardner forming a three-pronged slow-bowling attack alongside the left-arm orthodox of Jess Jonassen.

Vlaeminck rounds out Australia’s pace attack, joining Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt.

Molineux all-but ensured her spot in the XI after a brilliant performance with both bat and ball in Australia’s three-day tour game in Marlborough last week, while Vlaeminck’s sheer pace was enough to get the nod, in the hopes the 20-year-old can blast out England’s batters on what could be a dry surface.

Australia need only to draw the Test to retain the Ashes, as they currently hold a 6-0 lead in the points-based series after winning all three ODIs (worth two points apiece).

As the current holders, eight points will ensure the Ashes remain in Australian hands, while England must win the Test – worth four points – and all three T20Is, worth two apiece, to reclaim the coveted trophy.

AUSTRALIA’S NEWEST TEST PLAYERS

Ashleigh Gardner, 21

Test cap: 174 | State: NSW | Role: Allrounder | Bats: right-hand | Bowls: Off-spin

Image Id: 014E1788FDF945CA93F742916A6859C5 Image Caption: Ashleigh Gardner all smiles after receiving her Baggy Green // Cricket Network

Gardner is just the third Indigenous Australian to play Test cricket, following in the footsteps of Faith Thomas and Jason Gillespie. The NSW native was unlucky to miss out on a Baggy Green in late 2017 at North Sydney Oval, but has cemented her place in Australia’s limited-overs XIs since making her international debut in early 2017, thanks to her useful off-spin and big-hitting tendencies with the bat.

Gardner bats at No.3 in T20Is for Australia, but for this Test she’ll play a role more akin to her ODI game, coming in lower down the order, while her off-spin is a point of difference in Australia’s spin pack.

Sophie Molineux, 21

Test cap: 175 | State: Vic | Role: Allrounder | Bats: left-hand | Bowl: Left-arm orthodox

Image Id: 6936FFD1315E4A5491EBBAA5D0BD0266 Image Caption: Sophie Molineux with her new Baggy Green cap // Cricket Network

Former Australia head coach John Harmer – who mentored the likes of Belinda Clark and Cathryn Fitzpatrick – first encountered Molineux as a teenager in Bairnsdale, in eastern Victoria.

What he saw, even then, convinced him Molineux would one day play for Australia.

His prophecy was proved right in March 2018 when the allrounder made her international debut in India and Molineux has since swiftly found her feet in the green and gold, playing every match as Australia won the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean last November.

Her Ashes hopes suffered a major blow when she dislocated her shoulder at Victorian training in February, but she impressed enough in her Australia A return to be a late addition to Australia’s Test squad. Then her performances in last week’s tour game, scoring an unbeaten 65 at better than a run a ball and bagging five wickets, secured her Baggy Green.

Tayla Vlaeminck, 20

Test cap: 176 | State: Vic | Role: Bowler | Bats: right-hand | Bowl: Right-arm fast

Image Id: B5570D4AF4714C9D8F46466E3D3DB22D Image Caption: Tayla Vlaeminck enjoys a special moment in her new Baggy Green // Cricket Network

The fastest bowler in Australia’s Ashes squad, Vlaeminck’s endured more bad luck than most players have in an entire career to earn her Baggy Green.

The right-arm quick from Bendigo recovered from two knee reconstructions and a dislocated shoulder, all in the space of four years, before making her international debut late last year.

Her 2018-19 summer was cut short when she was hit by another knee injury, this time a partial tear of her ACL, but recovered in time to be named in Australia’s Ashes squad, where it’s hoped her ability to bang the ball in hard and fast will give her an edge against England’s powerful batting line-up.

CommBank Ashes Tour of England

Australia lead England 6-0

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

England Test squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Kirstie Gordon, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole (vc), Lauren Winfield, Sarah Taylor

First ODI: Australia won by two wickets

Second ODI: Australia won by four wickets

Third ODI:  Australia won by 194 runs

July 18-21: Only Test, The County Ground, Taunton

July 26: First T20, County Ground, Chelmsford

July 28: Second T20, The County Ground, Hove

July 31: Third T20, Bristol County Ground, Bristol

A Test victory is worth four points (two each for a draw), two points are awarded for ODI and T20 wins