Australian women's youth squad announced

The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) announced today the Australian women's youth squad, the Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars to play a series of matches against the New Zealand and New Zealand A women's sides in February 2002.

The squad is:

Team Management

The Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars are scheduled to play four one-day internationals against the New Zealand A women's team beginning in Melbourne on 10 February. The squad will also play a match against the senior New Zealand side before the Kiwis' six-match series against the senior Australian team, the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars, in February and March.

The under-23 squad has several players with international experience, including captain Lisa Sthalekar from New South Wales. Sthalekar, a right-hand batter who also bowls off-spin, made her one-day international debut with the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars during the tour of the United Kingdom in July 2001.

Fellow New South Welshman, Leonie Coleman, was also selected in the squad. The wicket-keeper who has been ear-marked as the next in line for the senior Australian keeping role has been a member of the youth squad since 1998.

Queenslanders Tricia Brown and Melissa Bulow, have been strong performers for the Konica Queensland Fire in the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL) this season. They are on the verge of senior Australian selection and will be key players for the Shooting Stars.

Eighteen year-old Kris Britt is making her international debut. The right-hand batter from the Australian Capital Territory has been impressive in this season's WNCL. Playing for the Southern Scorpions, she is sixth on the list of top run-scorers this season with 196 runs. The Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars squad was chosen by a panel consisting of youth selectors Glenys Thatcher (Queensland) and Shane Souter (South Australia) and Chairperson for the senior Australian women's team, Margaret Jennings.

Upon selecting the squad Jennings said: "The Australian under-23 program has been very successful in blooding players for the national senior side.

"This series gives some of our talented young players who have been on the fringe of senior selection the chance to perform against a quality international opponent.

"These girls have an opportunity to push their case for selection in the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars squad. We will be monitoring performances closely as we aim to create greater depth in our senior line-up," Jennings said.

The Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars will assemble in Melbourne on Wednesday 6 February.

The Fixture