Perth Scorchers duo Piepa Cleary and Heather Graham have today been named by Cricket Australia’s National Selection panel in a 13-player Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars squad to tour Sri Lanka from 27 March– 11 April.
Made up of Australia’s best emerging players aged 21 and under, the side will be coached by former Australian fast-bowler and Women’s Youth Coach, Cathryn Fitzpatrick with Victoria and Melbourne Stars’ Coach, David Hemp acting as Assistant Coach.
The squad will assemble at the Bupa National Cricket Centre (NCC) in Brisbane on Sunday 26 March before flying to Colombo where they will play three One-Day fixtures and three Twenty20s against Sri Lanka.
The Scorchers pair, both 20, enjoyed breakout seasons during the 2016-17 Rebel Women’s Big Bash League as Perth reached the decider.
Cleary took 11 wickets from eight matches, with a team best economy rate of 5.24 and tidy average of 11.9.
Graham made 239 at an average of 29.87 while she also took 10 wickets with the ball.
Speaking following the selection of the side, National Selector Shawn Flegler said: “The players that have been included in this squad were all standouts across the summer, with some really impressive performances for their domestic sides and Women’s Big Bash League clubs.”
Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars squad to tour Sri Lanka:
Name State/WBBL Club Age
Jemma Barsby QLD/Heat 21
Maitlan Brown ACT/Renegades 19
Piepa Cleary WA/Scorchers 20
Tess Cooper QLD/Heat 20
Heather Graham WA/Scorchers 20
Mikayla Hinkley* NSW/Thunder 18
Alana King VIC/Stars 21
Tahlia McGrath SA/Strikers 21
Georgia Redmayne TAS/Hurricanes 23
Lauren Smith NSW/Sixers 20
Rachel Trenaman ACT/NSW Country 15
Belinda Vakarewa NSW/Thunder 19
Georgia Wareham VIC/Renegades 17
*subject to fitness
Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars v Sri Lanka schedule
30 March: First ODI, Moors, Colombo
1 April: Second ODI, Moors, Colombo
3 April: Third ODI, FTZ Katunayake, Colombo
6 April: First T20, Bloomfield, Colombo
8 April: Second T20, FTZ Katunayake, Colombo
10 April: Third T20, FTZ Katunayake, Colombo