The WACA's Female State Match Committee has named a squad for the Western Fury's upcoming triple-header against the ACT Meteors, which gets underway at the Trinity College Playing Fields on Friday.
There are two changes from the squad of 13 which was named for the Fury's last fixtures against the Cripps Tasmanian Roar and South Australian Scorpions four weeks ago. Fast bowler Rachael Giggins and all-rounder Emma Biss come into the side at the expense of injured pace bowler Gemma Triscari, batter Emily Rixon and off-spinner Emma King.
The Fury hit back from their three straight losses (one twenty-over and two fifty-over) to DEC VicSpirit to win three of their four games on last month's road trip to Tasmania and South Australia. They defeated the Roar by 21 runs in a Twenty20 match before toppling South Australia in two WNCL encounters. The only glitch was a 35-run defeat in a Twenty20 match to a Karen Rolton-inspired Scorpions.
The Meteors have blasted onto the national scene in their inaugural season and have so far collected two wins from three Twenty20 clashes and two WNCL victories, including an imposing four-wicket triumph over reigning champions NSW.
Since their last WNCL fixures, both states entered teams in the ninth Cricket Australia Women's (CAW) Cup, which was staged in NSW from 25 November to 1 December. WA finished fourth, while the ACT were one place further back in fifth position.
All-rounder Lauren Shave was the WA Captain, while Donna Brown was the team's leading run scorer. Both will take their places in the Fury line-up this weekend, as will fellow CAW Cup players in leg-spinner Mel Holmes and medium-pacer Kate Burns.
Triscari's CAW Cup tournament was cut short when she succumbed to a fractured thumb and consequently she was unavailable to line-up for the Fury this weekend. In her absence, and with the selectors choosing to emphasise pace over spin on the Trinity College Playing Fields' wicket, Giggins and Biss have been given the call up.
18-year-old Giggins will debut for the Fury after being on the state list for two full seasons. The emerging quick has been a consistent performer for Rockingham-Mandurah in the SunSmart women's competition and played a major role in them reaching the semi-finals in 2008-09.
Biss played in the WA Under 19 state team in 2006-07 and the following season she lined up in two WNCL games for the Fury. The 19-year-old fast bowling all-rounder impressed selectors with her five-wicket haul at the recent CAW Cup tournament and has earned her place in the senior squad this weekend.
Off-spinner Jess Moyes played seven years of representative cricket in Canberra, but will be lining up against her old state for the first time this weekend. Along with Holmes, Moyes has been an integral member of the Fury's spin bowling attack this summer.
Play in the Women's Twenty20 match commences at 11.00am on Friday, with both WNCL matches to begin at 10.00am on Saturday and Sunday. The Trinity College Playing Fields are on Manning Road in Waterford, and entry is free to the public.
WESTERN FURY SQUAD
Peta Merrilees (Captain), Rene Farrell (Vice Captain), Lauren Ebsary (Deputy Vice Captain), Cherie Bambury, Donna Brown, Kate Burns, Avril Fahey, Mel Holmes, Jenny Wallace, Jess Moyes, Lauren Shave, Emma Biss, Rachael Giggins.
ACT METEORS SQUAD
Kris Britt (Captain), Leonie Coleman (Vice Captain), Charlotte Anneveld, Leanne Davis, Aimee Harris, Sara Hungerford, Asha Smith, Lisa Kuschert, Sally Moylan, Kate Owen, Em Preston, Laura Wright, Georgia Elwiss.
