Western Australia have selected a 13-player squad for their Women’s National Cricket League double header against ACT Meteors on Friday 5 January and Sunday 7 January at the WACA Ground.
Peschel returns for ACT clashes
Midland Guildford’s Ines McKeon has been selected in the squad for the first time, with the exciting young batter rewarded for her outstanding form in the recent Cricket Australia Under 19s Female National Championships, played in Brisbane last month.
McKeon was WA’s star performer, tallying 298 runs at 37.25 in six innings, to finish as the tournament’s leading run-scorer after opening the batting in every match.
The 16-year-old produced the highlight of the tournament when she blasted 139 off just 131 balls against the highly fancied Victoria Metro, including 10 fours and an incredible nine sixes.
If selected in the final XI, McKeon will make her WNCL debut.
Experienced seamer Taneale Peschel also makes her return, after missing the clashes with South Australia in October due to appendicitis.
She will join Piepa Cleary, Zoe Britcliffe, Georgia Wyllie and rising star Chloe Ainsworth in a promising fast-bowling brigade.
Young allrounder Charis Bekker will miss the two fixtures this weekend, after suffering a minor quad injury over the Christmas break. Bekker is expected to be available for the next round of WNCL matches against NSW in a fortnight’s time.
Australian regulars Beth Mooney and Alana King are unavailable for selection, with the pair both currently involved in Australia’s multi-format series against India.
Spinner Shay Manolini has been omitted.
Batter Ashley Day has left the squad, after deciding to end her time at WA Cricket after four and a half seasons to pursue opportunities outside the game.
WA currently sit fourth on the WNCL ladder, with three wins and one loss from their opening four matches.
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WA WNCL Squad – games five and six:
Chloe Piparo – captain
Chloe Ainsworth
Zoe Britcliffe
Mathilda Carmichael
Piepa Cleary
Maddy Darke
Amy Edgar
Lisa Griffith
Ines McKeon
Lilly Mills
Taneale Peschel
Poppy Stockwell
Georgia Wyllie
MATCH DETAILS
Women’s National Cricket League – Game 5
WA v ACT
Friday 5 January, first ball 2:00PM, WST
WACA Ground, Perth
LIVE: Kayo, Cricket.com.au, 91.3 SportFM
Women’s National Cricket League – Game 6
WA v ACT
Sunday 7 January, first ball 2:00PM, WST
WACA Ground, Perth
LIVE: Kayo, Cricket.com.au, 91.3 SportFM
Click here to view all WA’s fixtures for the 2023-24 domestic season