Image Credit- AP
All-round spin bowler Sophie Molineux has been called
up to the Australian Test team for the WACA match against South Africa.
She is one of five spin choices in a group of 14
players. After missing a year due to an ACL injury, Molineux—who does not
presently have a central contract—returned to action in December of last year.
He last competed for Australia in 2021. She is now tied for the most wickets
taken in the WNCL after scoring a half-century for the Governor-General’s XI
against the South Africans last month.
“It was a nice call to make,” national
selector Shawn Flegler said. “She’s been through a lot in the last couple
of years. She was pretty emotional. She’s put a lot of hard work in over the
last 12 months but even the previous 12 months as well [and has] missed out
some big tournaments for us.
“We’ve always kept in touch with her. We spoke to
her pretty quickly afterwards and said there’s a lot of cricket coming up next
season, focus on that, get yourself right and see what happens after that. She
has come back and played really well…has probably surprised herself a little
bit with how well she’s gone. She was an all-format player before she got
injured and she’s come back in great nick.”
Flegler stated it was doubtful that both left-arm
spinners would play in the same team, thus Molineux is probably vying with the
seasoned Jess Jonassen for a spot in the starting XI.
Lauren Cheatle (unavailable) and Heather Graham are
not included in this group; they were members of Australia’s previous Test team
against India. Cheatle, a left-arm seamer, will miss the remainder of the
season due to skin cancer surgery she recently had.
“Really tough, devastating, and the WACA probably
would’ve suited her more than the India Test match, as well,” Flegler said
of Cheatle. “Obviously our thoughts are with her, she just needs to
concentrate on her health and hopefully she comes back and gets herself right
again and gets herself back in contention.
“When she’s swinging it and bowling with some
pace, she’s a threat. There’s not too many left-arm pace bowlers in the world
like her. She just needs to focus on getting healthy.”
The experienced Megan Schutt has been included among
the frontline pace options despite being open in her belief that Test cricket
is now behind her. Barring injury to another option, she would appear unlikely
to make the starting XI.