Victoria preview: Lanning returns as Vics eye strong start

Victoria coach Jarrad Loughman is hopeful Meg Lanning could feature in Victoria’s first four domestic one-day matches, as the Australian captain prepares to make her return to elite cricket in Perth.

The Vics will field an XI featuring up to five Cricket Australia-contracted players for their tournament opener against Western Australia on Tuesday, but it will likely be the only WNCL game the bulk of those stars will be available for this season, with a packed international summer ahead.

The exception to that is Lanning, who was on Friday named in a bumper 16-player Victoria squad for what looms as her first competitive outing since sitting out the Ashes in June and July due to medical reasons.

Lanning will miss the home white-ball series against West Indies next month – leaving her available for Victoria’s second round matches against Queensland – and her comeback via Victoria is an important step towards an eventual return to the green and gold.

Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Kim Garth and Georgia Wareham will feature in Tuesday’s game but will miss the second match against WA on Thursday as they fly into Sydney to link up with the rest of the national squad.

"When Meg didn't go to England, she had a little bit of time off and (since) then she's been training and back around team," Victoria coach Jarrad Loughman told cricket.com.au.

"She's so good when she's here, she's just a really just a really good cricket person to have around the group ... working with the other players and the young players and she's fantastic at that.

"So we expect her to maybe play the four games leading into WBBL while she's not in the Australian squad which is awesome for us."

Victoria have more Australian-contracted players than any other WNCL squad, but Loughman sees their increasingly rare appearances in the domestic one-day competition as an opportunity for the state’s strong crop of young talent.

That cohort includes recent Australia A representatives Tess Flintoff and Nicole Faltum, and Australia Under-19 World Cup squad members Ella Hayward, Rhys McKenna and Milly Illingworth.

"To me, it's a win-win situation having so many Australian contracted players," he said.

"When you have them it strengthens your team and also their experience and their cricket know-how around the group is really positive.

"But then when they're not there, it creates opportunities for younger or less experienced players to play key roles in the team."

Sophie Molineux (ACL), Tayla Vlaeminck (shoulder) and Sam Bates will all miss the start of the season as they continue to rehabilitate injuries.

Georgia Prestwidge is among four new faces in Victoria’s 20-player squad after moving from Queensland.  

Illingworth and Poppy Gardner, both up-and-coming quicks, will have the opportunity to hone their craft alongside some of the best bowlers in the world after being rewarded with their first state contracts.  

Allrounder Jasmine Nevins, 19, played five games in the navy blue last season and has also earned her first contract.   

Victoria 2023-24 contract list: Sam Bates, Sophie Day, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Poppy Gardner, Kim Garth*, Ella Hayward, Olivia Henry, Milly Illingworth, Meg Lanning*, Rhys McKenna, Sophie Molineux, Jasmine Nevins, Rhiann O’Donnell, Ellyse Perry*, Georgia Prestwidge, Sophie Reid, Annabel Sutherland*, Tayla Vlaeminck*, Georgia Wareham* 

In: Georgia Prestwidge (Qld), Poppy Gardner, Milly Illingworth, Jasmine Nevins 

Out: Makinley Blows (retired), Lucy Cripps, Tiana Atkinson  

* Cricket Australia contract

Possible best XI (from fit players): Sophie Reid, Annabel Sutherland, Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry, Nicole Faltum (wk), Georgia Wareham, Kim Garth, Tess Flintoff, Sophie Day, Georgia Prestwidge, Milly Illingworth

Last year's WNCL result: Fourth (5 wins, 6 losses, 1 tie)

Aussie player availability: Ellyse Perry, Meg Lanning, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham and Kim Garth will all feature in the first match of the season against Western Australia on Tuesday. All but Lanning then depart for the home series against West Indies and are unlikely to play another game this season. Lanning is expected to be available for the first four matches before the WBBL but could rejoin the Australian squad for their series against India and South Africa through the remainder of the summer. Tayla Vlaeminck has been ruled out until at least the end of WBBL|09 after undergoing shoulder surgery and her return date remains TBC.

Inside word with head coach Jarrad Loughman

The pre-season: "It's been a pretty long preseason, but it's been really productive. This winter we had more of our young players and fewer (older ones) in Melbourne with quite a few overseas. They've started filtering back over the last month and we've got everyone back now. The last couple of years we've focused pretty strongly on (warm-up) match opportunities and adding in as much as we can so we had a trip to the Sunshine Coast in late August and we played three one dayers against New South Wales. Then a couple of weeks ago, we had two double-header T20 games, which were more linked to our WBBL clubs."

Injury update: "The last couple of years we've had some serious long-term (injuries) which is tough, but the players that have had those injuries, just the way they've gone about their rehabs has been unbelievable to see how they've been so resilient. Next week, we go in with a pretty strong squad but we still don't have Sophie Molineux (knee) or Tayla Vlaeminck (shoulder) and Sam Bates is out injured too."

Player to watch: "If you look at Annabel Sutherland, she's had an amazing 12 months of development particularly with the bat. I think she's primed for a big Australian summer.

"Tess Flintoff is another one who has had a taste of Australia A and the Australia environment and she finished the season really strongly last year, so we're looking forward to seeing her as well."

Young guns: "I'm looking forward to seeing Rhys McKenna this year, it's her first full preseason in her third year on the list, and before she's had school or injuries, so to have a full preseason as a bowling allrounder, she's been outstanding.

"And Ella Hayward, has been in the squad for a couple of years, but still only a young person and she actually captained our team up on the Sunshine Coast in the practice games so she's really stepped up in that leadership space this winter as well, and she's developing with the bat as well as the ball."

Areas for improvement: "Last year, we had a pattern where we lost the first game (against a team) and won the second game. So we've made it a bit of a focus to start our two-game series well, which is just another way of saying (we want to improve our) consistency. Our team is very fluid - we have players coming and going here, there and everywhere. Next week we'll have a minimum three changes from game one to game two (when the Australians depart). So that creates challenges, but it also creates opportunity. We can't do much about that, so it's still finding a way to be consistent with whoever comes into (the side)."

Team to beat: "I think it's a really even comp and very competitive, and that's what you want."

Schedule:

September 26 v Western Australia, WACA Ground

September 28 v Western Australia, WACA Ground

October 10 v Queensland, Peter Burge Oval

October 12 v Queensland, Peter Burge Oval

December 19 v NSW, CitiPower Centre

December 21 v NSW, CitiPower Centre

January 16 v ACT Meteors, CitiPower Centre

January 18 v ACT Meteors, CitiPower Centre

January 29 v South Australia, Adelaide Oval

January 31 v South Australia, Karen Rolton Oval

February 12 v Tasmania, CitiPower Centre

February 14 v Tasmania, CitiPower Centre