Queensland teenagers Chelsea Sonter, Ayaka Stafford and Lilli Hamilton have earned spots in the Australian Under-19 squad for the first time, selected for a tour of Sri Lanka later this month.
Young Maroons Earn Spots
Fresh from playing in the KFC T20 Max competition, the Western Suburbs trio were named today in the 15-player Australia Under 19 Women’s squad to tour Sri Lanka later this month.
Australia will take part in a six-match bilateral series, featuring five Twenty20’s and a 50-over match.
The squad features a host of fresh faces, with Tasmania's Sara Kennedy the sole representative from Australia’s Under 19 World Cup campaign earlier this year where they finished third.
Cricket Australia’s National Development Lead and former international, Kristen Beams will coach the side along with former England Women’s Head Coach, Lisa Keightley and Cricket Tasmania Pathways coach, Harry Allanby.
Leg-spinner Stafford, 15, was a member of the Queensland Under-16 and Under-19 squads last year. She has already played international cricket, representing her mother's birthplace Japan in four T20 internationals.
Wicket-keeper Sonter was a Queensland Under-19 representative along with Hamilton last season.
Toowoomba off-spinner Hamilton, no relation to fellow Queenslander Lucy Hamilton, made her WNCL debut for the Queensland Fire last season and played for the Heat squad in the T20 Spring Challenge.
Australia Under 19 squad:
Ira Aery (VIC/Essendon Maribyrnong Park Ladies Cricket Club)
Eva Baird (VIC/Prahan Cricket Club)
Ava Drury (NSW/Northern District Cricket Club)
Samara Dulvin (VIC/Ringwood Cricket Club)
Lucy Finn (NSW/St George Sutherland)
Lilli Hamilton (QLD/Western Suburbs District Cricket Club)
Shiloh Julien (NSW/Parramatta Women’s Grade Cricket Club)
Jasmine Kamboj (VIC/Carlton Cricket Club)
Sara Kennedy (TAS/ Kingborough District CC)
Charli McLennan (VIC/Carlton Cricket Club)
Indira Panelli (SA/Kensington District Cricket Club)
Emily Powell (NSW/Sydney Cricket Club)
Chelsea Sonter (QLD/Western Suburbs District Cricket Club)
Ayaka Stafford (QLD/Western Suburbs District Cricket Club)
Aijay Willoughby (SA/West Torrens District Cricket Club)
Fixtures
20 September: First T20, Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium
21 September: Second T20, Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium
24 September: Third T20, Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium
26 September: Fourth T20, Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium
28 September: Fifth T20, Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium
30 September: 50-over match, Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium