Cricket NSW today announced a powerful Lend Lease Breakers squad for the 2012/13 summer, with 16 players having either represented Australia or the Australian youth team in the past 12 months.
The Lend Lease Breakers are arguably one of the most successful sporting teams in Australia, having won 14 National League (50 over) titles in the last 16 years, including the last seven in a row.
This is a massive summer for the squad. In addition to gunning for an eighth straight National League crown and an elusive first WT20 title, players will also be desperate to earn their place in the Australian squad for the World T20 and World Cup tournaments, scheduled for either end of the Australian summer.
Last season, NSW dominated National selections with nine players in the senior Australian side, with a further seven picked in the Youth team.
The full 2012/13 squad is (clubs/regions in brackets):
Sarah Aley (Bankstown Sports)
Alex Blackwell (Universities/Riverina)*
Nicola Carey (St George-Sutherland)**
Sarah Coyte (Campbelltown-Camden)*
Rachael Haynes (Universities)*
Alyssa Healy (Sydney)*
Claire Koski (Campbelltown-Camden)**
Katie Mack (Northern District)**
Sharon Millanta (Bankstown Sports)*
Erin Osborne (St George-Sutherland/Central North)*
Ellyse Perry (Sydney)*
Leah Poulton (St George-Sutherland/Newcastle)*
Angela Reakes (Sydney/North Coast)**
Lisa Sthalekar (Gordon)*
Kara Sutherland (Universities/North Coast)**
Hannah Trollip (Gordon)**
Keeghan Tucker (Campbelltown-Camden/Western)**
*Australian representative
** Australian Youth representative
Retiring Head Coach Neil McDonald expects the squad to do well. McDonald, who has been in charge of the team for the past two seasons, will return to Newcastle to take up the role of Development Manager of the Hunter Region : “This is a very powerful squad on paper and we expect this to translate into results on the field. I know the squad is extremely focused on lifting the WT20 trophy that has eluded us for the last three summers, and stretching their record in the 50 over format.”
“The amount of talent we have in this squad is amazing and we are fortunate to have an excellent training environment at the Lend Lease Breakers. Competition for places brings out the best in the players and the senior members of the squad are very supportive of the younger girls who can learn their trades from some of the best players in the world,” he said. “It has been a delight to work with the squad over the past two seasons and I wish them all the best in the future.”
Cricket NSW has also named an additional squad of 10 players to train as part of the Cricket NSW Academy. This squad comprises the next level of up-and-coming talented players who have excelled either in Sydney Grade, the NSW Second XI or NSW U/18 programs.
Lend Lease Breakers veteran and Cricket NSW Youth Manager – Female Programs, Lisa Sthalekar, will play a key role in the development of this squad as both a coach and a mentor.
The Cricket NSW Academy squad is (club region in brackets):
Mathilda Carmichael (Gordon)
Sohryn Carter (St George-Sutherland)
Heidi Cheadle (Gordon)
Kira Churchland (Sydney/Western)
Ashleigh James (Northern District/Central Coast)
Emily Leys (Universities/Central North)
Kath Koschel (St George-Sutherland)
Alison Parkin (Universities)
Celeste Raack (Campbelltown-Camden)
Naomi Stalenberg (Campbelltown-Camden)
