Australia’s women are riding high with a 6-4 lead in the multi-format series against India, but the selectors are not resting on their laurels. After a clinical performance at Bellerive Oval on Friday, attention turned to Sunday’s third ODI and, specifically, whether a new face will take up the new ball. The rumors in Hobart center on Lucy Hamilton, the 19-year-old left-arm quick who was initially brought in as injury cover but is quickly going from a “just in case” option to a real selection headache.
The potential debut follows a series of unfortunate quad injuries to veterans Kim Garth and Ellyse Perry. National coach Shawn Flegler made no secret of his interest in seeing what the teenager can do, noting that the team’s success has opened a window of opportunity. Speaking to Channel Seven, Flegler said: “That’s one of the opportunities for us. We’ll see how things go today…hopefully we’ll get another win, and that will give us the chance to take a look at Luce possibly in game three.”
Hamilton has already put himself through his paces and spent a long period bowling in the Bellerive Oval nets to develop the “loads” needed for the long game. Flegler emphasized that while the original plan was to integrate it slowly, current circumstances have accelerated its timeline.
“Lucy came for the ODIs and that’s an opportunity for her to be in the team a little bit earlier than originally planned,” he explained.
“We’ll see how she goes today, and maybe there will be a chance for her on Sunday as well. We’re looking forward to seeing what she can do within this Australian team, I think she has a great future ahead of her.”
The decision is not just about the youth movement, with the Hobart pitch expected to be a “used” surface for Sunday’s clash. An aging deck usually means less bounce and more assist for slow players, which puts Georgia Wareham back in the mix. “The wicket has played very well so far, maybe it stays a little lower on Sunday, if we play on the same wicket it might turn a little more,” observed Flegler. “We’ve also got Georgia Wareham eager to get a chance…we’ve got a couple of options there.”
While the ODI series is the immediate priority, the selectors are also managing the heavy workload of speedster Darcie Brown, who has played all five matches so far. With a day-night Test at the WACA just around the corner, giving him a break could be the smart move, especially as the team looks to finalize its squad for the red-ball clash in Perth. Local all-rounder Nicola Carey replaced the injured Sophie Molineux on Friday, and although she picked up one wicket, her economy rate has left the door open for others to push their case.
Ahead of the Test match, the Australian camp is expected to call up at least one more reinforcement before flying to Perth on Monday. While there is optimism that Perry could emerge as a specialist batsman, Garth seems unlikely to recover in time. As for additions to the team, Flegler confirmed the urgency of the situation, saying, “We’ll work on it for the next 24 to 48 hours, but we’ll certainly have to bring someone in.”
If Hamilton gets the nod on Sunday and performs, he may find himself on the plane to Western Australia with a lot more than “experience” under his belt. Australia will arrive in Perth on Monday, giving the team three days to rest and recalibrate before opening day at the WACA next Friday. With the series trophy within reach (a win on Sunday would officially retain the silver medal), the combination of fresh talent and tactical rest will be the defining theme of the weekend.
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