Graham Croker
Sydney University will be represented by three players when a 14-women Australian squad flies out to England for the Women’s Twenty20 World Championship next month.
Universities Cricket Club and NSW captain Lisa Sthalekar and team-mate Alex Blackwell have been selected in the squad along with Ellyse Perry, who is studying at the University.
The Australian tourists will compete in the Twenty20 World Championship before playing seven matches against England, including one Twenty20 match, five one-day matches and a Test match.
Australian star Karen Rolton will use the Twenty20 world championships as her swansong as national captain.
Rolton, 34, the Australian skipper for the past three years, will hand over the captaincy to Jodie Fields for the series against England, which follows the Twenty20 tournament.
National selector Margaret Jennings said Rolton had decided it was time to pass on the leadership.
“It’s a great credit to Karen and her leadership skills that she has decided to make this decision, which would not have been easy,” Jennings said.
“She has provided a great opportunity for Jodie and Alex (Blackwell, who will become Fields’ deputy) to continue building their leadership skills and she will also be there in England to support this hand-over.”
Australian squad: Karen Rolton, Jodie Fields, Alex Blackwell, Sarah Andrews, Jessica Cameron, Lauren Ebsary, Rene Farrell, Rachael Haynes, Shelley Nitschke, Erin Osborne, Ellyse Perry, Kirsten Pike, Leah Poulton, Lisa Sthalekar.
