Australian officials insist there is a way back for Jess Jonassen in international cricket after the veteran was left out of the squad for the Twenty20 World Cup.
Jonassen was the highest-profile omission from Australia’s 15-woman squad on Monday, with the defending champions injury-free and at full strength for the UAE tournament.
Alyssa Healy will captain Australia to a World Cup for the first time, while spinner Sophie Molineux and quick Tayla Vlaeminck are both in after long stints of injuries.
Allrounder Ashleigh Gardner, Georgia Wareham and Alana King have also been selected, making for four spinners in the squad.
But there was no room for Jonassen, who has won five T20 World Cups with Australia since her debut in 2012.
“Jess Jonassen is again unlucky to miss out,” chief selector Shawn Flegler said.
“But we’ve been impressed with the way she’s bounced back, and we’ll continue to monitor her form ahead of the home summer.”
Dropped for a tour of Bangladesh earlier this year, the 31-year-old Jonassen made a strong case for a recall with impressive stints in the WPL and Hundred.
“The path is still there, the door is still wide open,” skipper Healy said.
“You look at her career and how it has progressed in the past four or five years. She has been in the squad, she’s been out of the squad.
“I’m a little disappointed for Jono myself. I know how much she can contribute in big tournaments and how clutch she can be.
“I still see a big future for her in the Aussie side.”
Phoebe Litchfield was named for her first World Cup event, and Healy said it was more likely the youngster would bat in the middle order with no change expected to herself and Beth Mooney opening.
“Our opening spot hasn’t really changed over the past couple of World Cups,” Healy said.
“Hopefully the skipper can make some runs alongside Beth Mooney, because she just churns them out for fun.
“I dare say that opening partnership won’t change, it’s more what the middle order looks like.”
Healy will also have the chance to unleash Australia’s two quickest bowlers, with Vlaeminck and Darcie Brown both overcoming injuries to be picked.
Australia has never played in the UAE and are unsure what to expect with the wickets, but Healy said there could be room for both quicks in the same XI.
“I would love to see it,” Healy said.
“We are so blessed with ample allrounders in our side, I think we can play around a bit with our fast-bowling attack.
“Having those two in the side is a huge point of difference. With the conditions we’re probably going to get, having pace is potentially a real advantage.”
The same squad will face New Zealand in the three-match T20 series in Queensland next month, before their World Cup opener against Sri Lanka on October 4.
AUSTRALIA’S SQUAD FOR WOMEN’S TWENTY20 WORLD CUP
Alyssa Healy, Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Tayla Vlaeminck.
