Molineux’s path back set to complicate spin selections

Sophie Molineux's return to the representative ranks has been met with enthusiasm by the Australian team's brains trust as they look ahead to a pair of major ICC tournaments on the subcontinent in the next 18 months.

Molineux was today named as the captain of a Governor-General's XI that will take on South Africa in a T20 match at North Sydney Oval on January 24, and the spin-bowling allrounder, who had a year off with an ACL tear, looks set to feature heavily in selection discussions ahead of the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September.

"She's been highly rated by the Australian set-up for a long time," said national selector Shawn Flegler.

"She did well coming back for Victoria, getting that 6-fer early on (6-45 against NSW last month). She's certainly being closely monitored … we've had a left-arm orthodox spinner – either Jess Jonassen or Soph – involved in our last several (World Cup) campaigns, so we'll see that continuing, I'm sure."

So deep are Australia's spin stocks that outstanding South Australian leggie Amanda-Jade Wellington, who has collected 46 wickets in the past two WBBL campaigns to help orchestrate the Strikers' back-to-back titles, is arguably sixth in the country's pecking order, behind off-spinning allrounder Ashleigh Gardner, leg-spinners Georgia Wareham and Alana King, and left-arm orthodox spinners Jess Jonassen and Molineux.

While Wellington last month openly flagged the possibility of utilising her British ancestry to potentially play for England, the jostling of positions among the other quintet looks set to only heat up, and with off-spinning allrounder Ashleigh Gardner taking on the "senior spinner role" according to Flegler, that leaves two leg-spinners and two left-arm orthodox spinners competing for possibly two spots in Bangladesh.

And while Wareham and King have both displayed their six-hitting ability in the lower order in recent times, it is the former who has the inside running in the T20 side, with King featuring in the ODI set-up only since last year's 20-over World Cup in South Africa.

"Georgia Wareham has come back into the team and I thought she bowled better and better as the tour went on in India," Flegler said. "She also adds a pretty powerful lower-order batting option and she's outstanding in the field.

"I've said a few times we value those three skill-sets really highly and if you can do all three, that certainly gives you a leg-up in selection. And that's where Georgia and Ash have got the nod at the moment.

"(King is) definitely right in our thoughts. She's right in the mix for the Bangladesh tour (prior to the World Cup) as well.

"With every World Cup squad, we try and cover all bases, and we've been really fortunate with the spin options we've had over the over the last few World Cups, but Alana was outstanding in the ODIs in India, and she certainly keeps putting pressure and asking questions of the selectors every time."

While still in both white-ball squads, Jonassen has found herself unable to force her way back into either XI despite her own capabilities with the bat. Molineux's potential return is likely to complicate matters further; the left-hander can slot in virtually anywhere in the order and has been touted as a future national captain.

Meanwhile, pace bowler Tayla Vlaeminck has been named in Victoria's squad to take on the ACT in two WNCL matches next week.

Vlaeminck has had a cursed run with injury, most recently undergoing shoulder surgery last winter, but the 25-year-old is highly rated by Cricket Australia and, like Molineux, looks likely to again come into the selection mix ahead of the T20 World Cup.

"It's great to have her back playing again," Flegler added. "She's had a really tough run, but I think we've shown the belief that we've got in her by the support that we've provided.

"There's not many bowlers around the world that have the ball speed she does. We'd love to have her back involved as soon as she's ready."

Women's CommBank T20I Series v South Africa

January 27: Manuka Oval, Canberra 10.45am

January 28: Manuka Oval, Canberra 10.45am

January 30: Blundstone Arena, Hobart 7.05pm

Women's CommBank ODI Series v South Africa

February 3: Adelaide Oval, 2.10pm

February 7: North Sydney Oval, 2.40pm

February 10: North Sydney Oval, 2.40pm

Women's CommBank Test Match v South Africa

February 15-18: Only Test, WACA Ground, Perth 11.00am