Cricket Australia announces Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars squad to New Zealand

Cricket Australia today announced a 13-player Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars squad to play New Zealand A in three limited-over matches in New Zealand next month.

The squad is:

Sarah Aley (capt), Nicole Bolton, Renee Chappell, Rene Farrell, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Emma Inglis, Delissa Kimmince, Kate Owen, Elysse Perry, Rikki-Lee Rimmington, Emma Sampson, Lauren Shave, Brian McFadyen (coach).

All except three members of the squad - Alyssa Healy (niece of former Australian player Ian Healy), Kate Owen and Elysse Perry - have experience in Australia's highest domestic competition, the Commonwealth Bank Women's National Cricket League.

Two of the squad members, meanwhile, made their debut this year in the national league competition.

Delissa Kimmince played all eight games in her debut season for Queensland Fire, capturing 9 wickets at an average of 18.00. Rene Farrell picked up a wicket from her two matches for the New South Wales Breakers.

Healy and Kimmince shared the Player of the Championship at last year's Commonwealth Bank Under-17 Series while at this year's Under-19 Championship, Healy finished as the leading run-scorer at the tournament with 345 runs at an average of 57.50.

Perry's all-round performance alongside Healy at the 2006-07 Commonwealth Bank Under-19 Championship in Hobart (175 runs at 58.30 and seven wickets at 11.80) helped New South Wales to the title. Nicole Bolton was another standout at the recent Commonwealth Bank Under-19 series, making 223 runs from three matches having joined her Western Australian team mates in the tournament after playing the last round of the national league competition with her state team, the Western Fury.

Twenty year-old Owen was the leading run-scorer at the Cricket Australia's Women's Cup, with 192 runs from four innings.

The Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars squad was selected by the national women's selection panel comprising former Australian players Margaret Jennings (Chair), Christina Matthews and Wendy Weir.

The Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars depart for New Zealand on 9 February.

The Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars itinerary is:

February
Sun 11 - Warm up match v New Zealand (venue TBC)
Tues 13 - Match 1 v New Zealand A - Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln University
Thurs 15 - Match 2 v New Zealand A -Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln University
Fri 16 - Match 3 v New Zealand A -Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln University