Voll's dream run leaves selectors with major Ashes headache

After putting England's attack to the sword in another strong case to Australia selectors, Georgia Voll says she is playing the best cricket of her career – but she understands that is still unlikely to nab her a spot in Sunday's opening Ashes ODI.

Voll struck 57 from 42 balls opening the batting for the Governor-General's XI at North Sydney Oval on Thursday, making light work of a strong England pace attack featuring Lauren Bell and Natalie Sciver-Brunt.

It was her first outing with the bat since her breakout maiden ODI series against India last month, where she struck 46no, 101 and 26 when filling in for injured Australia captain Alyssa Healy.

While Voll made way when Healy returned to the top of the order against New Zealand, the 21-year-old Queenslander had done enough to be named in her first Ashes squad.

But with Australia unlikely to mess with their established opening pair of Healy and Phoebe Litchfield, Voll is likely to remain on the sidelines when the multi-format series begins this weekend – unless a bold call is made to drop an established star lower down the order. 

Voll said she was more than capable of playing a role anywhere in the line-up but added she was equally content to be patient, with cracking a regular spot in the world's top-ranked team being no easy feat.

"I think I'm ready," Voll said when asked if she could replicate Thursday's performance in a full-fledged Ashes match. 

"I've been playing domestic cricket for four or five years. I'm still pretty young, so still got a lot of things to learn. 

"In terms of one day cricket, I haven't batted up and down the order, but if you're coming in with 20 overs to go, it's pretty much like you're opening a T20. 

"I don't think my role would change too much if I was opening or batting down the order a little bit. 

"I'd be happy to bat anywhere in that order, but it's a pretty world-class team … so if I need to run drinks, then that's okay too."

Having already proved she can form a solid opening partnership with close friend and Thunder teammate Litchfield last month, on Thursday Voll shared a 91-run stand with Healy, who also impressed with a 33-ball 38.

Voll found the boundary 11 times during her rapid knock before she was bowled by spin star Sophie Ecclestone.

"It's been pretty nice to be able to strike the ball like I have in the last couple of months," Voll said. 

"It's a little bit (frustrating watching on) because you think that you could be out there doing a job as well. 

"But the girls literally smashed New Zealand as well, so it's pretty hard to break in when the girls are doing so well as well."

Voll's international selection followed a standout Women's National Cricket League campaign with the bat in 2023-24, and her breakout first WBBL season with new club Sydney Thunder earlier this summer.

The right-hander was overlooked for the Australia A squad that toured the United Kingdom alongside the senior Ashes squad in 2023, and Voll said that disappointment had been a significant motivator over the 18 months since.

"When you miss a team or a selection, it always drives you to be better and I think that definitely drove me to be better," she said. 

"It's pretty disappointing when you miss out on something, but I'm the type of person that (thinks), 'You have to work harder'."

Commbank Women's Ashes 2025

First ODI: January 12: North Sydney Oval, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT

Second ODI: January 14: CitiPower Centre, Melbourne, 10.05am AEDT

Third ODI: January 17: Bellerive Oval, Hobart, 10.05am AEDT

First T20I: January 20: SCG, Sydney, 7.40pm AEDT

Second T20I: January 23: Manuka Oval, Canberra, 7.40pm AEDT

Third T20I: January 25: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 7.10pm ACDT (7.40pm AEDT)

Australia squad (ODI/T20Is): Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris+, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

England squad (ODI/T20Is): Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross*, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Danielle Gibson+, Sarah Glenn, Bess Heath+, Amy Jones, Freya Kemp+, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Linsey Smith+, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

* ODIs only; + T20Is only

Day-night Test: January 30 - February 2: MCG, Melbourne, 2.30pm AEDT

Australia Test squad: TBC

England Test squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Kate Cross, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Bess Heath, Amy Jones, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge

The rivalry resumes with a blockbuster series in Australia from Jan 12 - Feb 2. Learn about the remarkable 90-year history at the Women's Ashes Hub