Young leggie eager to soak up Aussie A experience

Amy Smith insists she was surprised to get a call-up for Australia A’s multi-format series against England A, but the leg-spinner is eager to lap up every bit of knowledge she can gain from the experience.

The 20-year-old Tasmanian may not have expected the opportunity, but national selectors rewarded the leg-spinner for her excellent form throughout 2024-25 in both the Weber WBBL and the Women’s National Cricket League.

Smith had a delayed start to the summer due to injury, with a stress reaction to her shin forcing her to miss the start of the WBBBL.

But she returned with a bang, taking nine wickets in eight games at an average of 14.55 and a miserly economy rate of 5.24.

In Tasmanian colours in the WNCL, the leggie picked up 15 wickets in eight matches at 21.26, while again going for fewer than six runs per over.

"I feel in a good space," Smith told reporters prior to joining the Australia A squad in Sydney.

"There are some performances (this summer) that I would have liked to be a little bit better, but I'm just taking it as a great opportunity to learn and whatever happens, happens.

"It's always nice to get rewarded after performances. So hopefully I can keep it up and just keep looking to get better and learn and not get complacent."

The ‘A’ series will begin in Sydney on Wednesday with the first of three T20s at Hurstville Oval.

Smith is the sole leg-spinner in the squads for the white-ball matches, and forms part of a bevy of spinners alongside left-armer Sophie Day and off-spinners Amy Edgar, Ella Hayward and Charli Knott.

Queensland allrounder Knott will miss the opening games following her call-up to Australia’s T20I tour of New Zealand as an injury replacement for Ashleigh Gardner, but will rejoin the ‘A’ group following Wednesday’s final match in Wellington.

"It’s super exciting," Smith said. 

"Surprised I got the call up, but it's a great opportunity.

"I'm looking forward to playing against England A, they've got a few good players on the verge of the (senior) England side, and it's exciting to be around some of the best Aussie players as well.

"I think seeing how some of the best players go about it around Australia, seeing how they talk about their cricket, how they prep for games … just those little things are crucial, and then I can bring it back to Tassie.

"Even England A, seeing how they go about it and how they play their brand of cricket - on and off the field, there's heaps of opportunities to learn."

England A meanwhile have suffered an injury blow on the eve of the series with pace-bowling allrounder Dani Gibson ruled out after scans revealed a stress fracture in her back.

Gibson, who was part of England’s senior Ashes squad in January, has returned home and will be replaced in their four-day squad by Essex’s Eva Gray.

England A have also named their captains for the T20 and one-day legs of the multi-format series, with 21-year-old former England U19s skipper Grace Scrivens to lead in the shortest format, before Hollie Armitage takes over for the 50-over matches.

Both Australia and England have named up-and-coming squads for the tour, with England A’s performances in particular to be under the microscope as they look to rebuild from their horror 0-16 Ashes campaign, which resulted in the sackings of coach Jon Lewis and captain Heather Knight last weekend.

Australia A v England A

Australia A T20 squad: Heather Graham (c), Charli Knott (vc), Lauren Cheatle, Hannah Darlington, Sophie Day, Amy Edgar, Tess Flintoff, Sianna Ginger, Anika Learoyd, Rhys McKenna, Madeline Penna, Amy Smith, Courtney Webb, Tahlia Wilson (wk)

Australia A 50-over squad: Nicole Faltum (c/wk), Charli Knott (vc), Lauren Cheatle, Hannah Darlington, Sophie Day, Tess Flintoff, Sianna Ginger, Nicola Hancock, Ella Hayward, Anika Learoyd, Amy Smith, Georgia Voll, Courtney Webb, Tahlia Wilson

Australia A Four-Day squad: Charli Knott (c), Nicole Faltum (vc/wk), Maitlan Brown, Lauren Cheatle, Maddy Darke, Sophie Day, Tess Flintoff, Sianna Ginger, Nicola Hancock, Ella Hayward, Anika Learoyd, Lilly Mills, Rachel Trenaman, Tahlia Wilson

England A T20 squad: Hollie Armitage, Georgia Davis, Mahika Gaur, Jodi Grewcock, Bess Heath, Emma Jones, Freya Kemp, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Charis Pavely, Grace Potts, Paige Scholfield, Grace Scrivens, Seren Smale, Bryony Smith, Alexa Stonehouse, Mady Villiers, Issy Wong

England A 50-over squad: Hollie Armitage, Alice Capsey, Georgia Davis, Mahika Gaur, Kirstie Gordon, Jodi Grewcock, Bess Heath, Emma Jones, Freya Kemp, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Charis Pavely, Grace Potts, Paige Scholfield, Grace Scrivens, Seren Smale, Bryony Smith, Alexa Stonehouse, Mady Villiers, Issy Wong

England A four-day squad: Hollie Armitage, Alice Capsey, Georgia Davis, Kirstie Gordon, Eva Gray, Jodi Grewcock, Bess Heath, Freya Kemp, Charis Pavely, Grace Potts, Paige Scholfield, Grace Scrivens, Seren Smale, Alexa Stonehouse, Mady Villiers, Issy Wong

First T20 | March 26: Hurstville Oval, Sydney, 1pm AEDT

Second T20 | March 28: Hurstville Oval, Sydney, 1pm AEDT

Third T20 | March 30: Hurstville Oval, Sydney, 1pm AEDT

First OD| April 2: Cricket Central, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT

Second OD| April 4: Cricket Central, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT

Third OD| April 7: Cricket Central, Sydney, 9.45am AEST

Four-day game | April 12-15: Cricket Central, Sydney, 9.30am AEST