An injury to Tayla Vlaeminck has led to Stella Campbell earning a call-up for the Canberra Test, just weeks after taking a seven-wicket haul at Manuka Oval
Aussies call in pace ace Campbell for Ashes Test
Stella Campbell has been called into Australia's Ashes squad for this week's one-off Test at Manuka Oval following Tayla Vlaeminck's season-ending foot injury.
Towering quick Campbell took 7-25 at Manuka Oval in a domestic one-day match earlier this month, and Australia will be hoping the 19-year-old, who made her Test debut against India at the start of the summer, can replicate those heroics with the red ball this week.
Campbell has been part of the Australia A squad that is touring alongside the Ashes group.
"Stella bowled well for us in the Test match against India and provides another fast-bowling option now with Tayla being injured," national selector Shawn Flegler said.
"We will continue to assess conditions over the next couple of days before finalising the team."
Australia coach Matthew Mott said last week he had planned to play both Vlaeminck and fellow fast bowler Darcie Brown in the same Test XI before the Victorian was diagnosed with a stress fracture in her right foot.
That aggressive thinking from selectors suggests Campbell is likely to fill that role alongside fellow teenager Brown against England.
Allrounder Ashleigh Gardner, who had a close-up view of Campbell's stunning spell for New South Wales against the ACT Meteors on January 6, is backing the right-armer to again prove unplayable if selected.
"It's going to be pretty interesting to see what wicket we have for the first day of the Test match," Gardner said.
"When we played the ACT down here for New South Wales, Stella was almost unplayable and to have her back into the Test squad is really exciting.
"The confidence that she can take out of that WNCL match going into this match ... it's really exciting to be on her team. Hopefully, if she does play, she can replicate that."
Grace Harris has returned to the Australia A group after being promoted to the Ashes squad as T20 cover for Beth Mooney, with Mooney increasingly likely to feature in the Test after undergoing surgery on her fractured jaw last Tuesday.
Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes v England
Australia Ashes squad: Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Stella Campbell, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes (vc), Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Meg Lanning (c), Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland
England Ashes squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Tash Farrant, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver (vc), Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Danni Wyatt
Australia lead the multi-format series 4-2
Jan 20: Australia won by nine wickets
Jan 22: No Result
Jan 23: Match Abandoned without a ball bowled
Jan 27-30: Test match, Manuka Oval, 10am AEDT,
Feb 3: First ODI, Manuka Oval (D/N), 2.10pm AEDT
Feb 6: Second ODI, Junction Oval, 10.05am AEDT
Feb 8: Third ODI, Junction Oval, 10.05am AEDT