Comeback kid Trenaman sees light after 'dark days'

At the start of the summer, the idea of an Australia A call-up was the last thing on Rachel Trenaman’s mind.

The 23-year-old was still working her way back from back-to-back serious knee injuries, and had not played a professional game since January, 2023.

At one point, the Tasmania and Hobart Hurricanes batter had not been sure if she would return to cricket at all, having found herself staring down another extended rehabilation period when she ruptured her ACL for the second time, just one week before she had been due to make her return from meniscus surgery.

It was her third major knee injury in the space of two years, a run that started with her first ruptured ACL in 2021.

But Trenaman’s stunning return to the Women’s National Cricket League in February, which saw her hit 63, 80no and 124 in her first three innings back for Tasmania, has been rewarded with a spot in the Australia A red-ball squad to meet England A in Sydney from Saturday.

"There were some dark days ... I nearly turned down a contract last year, I thought about hanging up the boots," Trenaman said following her return to the WNCL. 

"I did some internships with finance and bits and pieces and looking at life after cricket, I just didn't know if it was something I wanted to do, and I was scared of doing (my knee) again. 

"There were a few conversations a lot of different people, but it all just boiled down to the fact that I don't want to regret the decision to hang the boots up in five, 10, 20 years' time, so (I wanted to) just give it one more crack, and anything can happen. 

“If it doesn't work out, so be it, at least you know that you've tried."

Even after her dominant return to the WNCL, representative cricket was far from Trenaman’s mind.

With several other potential openers in the red-ball A squad including Tahlia Wilson, Maddy Darke and Nicole Faltum, Trenaman is unsure whether she will make the final XI. She is determined to soak up the experience regardless.

"My last experience of red-ball cricket was in 2019 against England, in England, so it’s a long time between drinks," she said. 

"I didn't even know (this series) was on the calendar, I've just been enjoying being back around the girls."

Looking back on her prolonged period on the sidelines, Trenaman can see how the experience has given her greater perspective on the game – something that made her long-awaited return to the middle a more seamless experience.

Alongside discovering she is more resilient than she imagined, Trenaman also believes she is a more well-around person on and off the field.

"I spoke to (coach) Jude Coleman the day after I played my first game back, and Jude said, 'physically, you feel really good, you recovered well from the game but how are you feeling mentally?'" said Trenaman.

"And I said, 'It's really surprising, because you would think that I've had this rush of emotions ... but the really pleasing aspect is I feel no different to what I did two days ago. I'm the exact same person'.

"It’s been really nice to know that cricket doesn't define me whether performances are good or bad, I'm still the same person.

"I'm not grateful for the injury at all, but I am very thankful for the experience and the perspective it's given me. 

"I don't need cricket, it's not part of my identity … it's an interesting perspective to have where I guess some people can really rely on their sport and it is all that they are. 

"To know that win or lose and (whether I) score runs or not, that I am the same person … it's pretty special and I guess it takes a lot of pressure off performing in elite sport."

Australia A v England A

First T20 | England A won by three wickets

Second T20 | No result

Third T20 | Match abandoned without a ball bowled

First OD| Australia A won by five wickets

Second OD| Australia A won by 125 runs

Third OD| England A won by one wicket

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

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