Australia women find stability for South Africa series

Australia have named a virtually unchanged squad for their women's white-ball matches against South Africa.

ALYSSA HEALY.
ALYSSA HEALY. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Australia have found stability in their women's cricket set up after a year of rapid change, naming a virtually unchanged squad for home white-ball matches against South Africa.

Fresh from beating India in their ODI and Twenty20 series on the sub-continent, selectors have named their squad for the series against South Africa later this month.

Alyssa Healy will again captain the side for the three ODIs and T20s to be held in late January and early February, after taking on the role in a full-time capacity last month.

In the only change from the team that faced India, Alana King will only be a part of the ODI squad while Grace Harris has been selected for the T20 matches.

A squad for the Test match component of the multi-format series, to be held at the WACA from February 15, is yet to be named.

The stability is a welcome change for selectors, who have had to deal with the retirements of former captain and vice-captain Meg Lanning and Rachael Haynes in the past 16 months, as well as the exit of long-serving coach Matthew Mott in 2022.

"The squads for the upcoming T20s and ODIs are very similar to the one that travelled to India recently," chief selector Shawn Flegler said.

"As was the case for our home series against the West Indies in October, Grace Harris is part of the squad for the T20s only and will be replaced by Alana King for the ODIs.

"South Africa were formidable opponents in the 2023 ICC T20 World Cup Final in Cape Town and we look forward to the challenge of hosting the Proteas in a multi-format series in Australia."

Selectors also confirmed Sophie Molineux will return to the Australian set up as captain of a Governor-General's XI, after spending a year recovering from a ruptured ACL.

AUSTRALIA WHITE-BALL SQUAD FOR SOUTH AFRICA SERIES:

Alyssa Healy (capt), Darcie Brown, Heather Graham, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris*, Jess Jonassen, Alana King**, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham.

(* T20 only. **ODIs only)