Molineux to make long-awaited return in the UK

Sophie Molineux is on track to make a long-awaited return to play in The Hundred next month, as she continues her recovery from the foot injury that dashed her Ashes and World Cup dreams.

Molineux recently resumed running and the Victorian told reporters on Thursday she was eagerly anticipating a return to action when she joins Birmingham Phoenix in the 100-ball tournament.

The spin-bowling allrounder was diagnosed with a stress fracture in her right foot during the final week of the WBBL season last November, with the injury first ruling her out of the multi-format Ashes, and then the one-day World Cup in New Zealand in March.

Following a frustrating rehabilitation period where the bone stubbornly refused to heal, Molineux said she had eventually gone under the knife, having a plate inserted in her foot to aid her recovery.

"We were pretty optimistic (that I could play in) that World Cup and we were going to try everything possible to do that," Molineux told reporters on Thursday.

"But (the bone) just never healed so I ended up having surgery on it and that prolonged everything a little bit.

"It didn't go to the initial optimistic plan, but I suppose that's just a part of the game.

"I'm pretty much back to full fitness - with injuries, especially bone injuries, everything takes a little bit longer and you have to slowly build up with everything.

"But I'm very much towards the back end of that and I'll be very ready to play in about three or four weeks, that's for sure."

The disappointment of missing Australia’s Ashes and World Cup triumphs was compounded in April when Molineux was told her Cricket Australia contract would not be renewed.

But the Victorian said her focus was now purely on regaining fitness and form following the longer-than-expected lay-off.

She will travel to the United Kingdom in the coming weeks ahead of The Hundred, where she is one of two Australians contracted to Birmingham Phoenix alongside Ellyse Perry.

"It's been a long journey over the last six or seven months, losing a contract and missing a lot of cricket through injury and watching World Cups from home ... but I think in the long run, I've learned a lot from it and I'm feeling really fit and ready to go," Molineux said.

"I'm (feeling) really positive about the season, I'm really looking forward to it.

"I haven't played cricket in eight or nine months now so it's been a long time.

"I'm really pumped to be heading over and playing for Birmingham in the Hundred, it's a really good way of getting back into it I think."

Molineux’s next outing on Australian soil will likely be a domestic 50-over game for Victoria in late September, before she enters her second season at the helm of Melbourne Renegades in WBBL|08.

The Weber WBBL|08 schedule was released on Thursday, with Victoria to host matches for the first time since 2019 following two seasons disrupted by COVID-19 and border closures.

The Renegades will host matches at Junction Oval and Ballarat’s Eastern Oval, and will meet Perth Scorchers at Moe’s Ted Summerton Oval.

"We’re really pumped to be able to play in front of our fans and our family which we haven’t done for a long time," Molineux said.