Women’s T20 World Cup – Netherlands opt to bowl under cloud, Gardner back, Hamilton in

Toss Netherlands chose to bowl vs Australia

Ashleigh Gardner returns from injury while Lucy Hamilton has been included in Australia’s XI after an unchanged Netherlands won the toss and opted to bowl under cloudy skies in Southampton.

Gardner returns from a minor ankle sprain that kept her out of Australia’s win over Bangladesh. She replaces Grace Harris in the middle order. Australia selectors opted for another change with 19-year-old left-arm seamer Lucy Hamilton called in for her first T20 World Cup game in place of Megan Schutt who has been rotated out of the side. Phoebe Litchfield remains unavailable due to her quad injury.

Australia are entering the encounter on the back of two big wins against South Africa and Bangladesh. They restricted Bangladesh to 77 for 8 in 20 overs before chasing it down in 9.3 overs in their last game. Netherlands, meanwhile, suffered two losses, against Bangladesh and India respectively. This will be the teams’ first meeting in T20Is; they’ve played five ODIs between 1988 and 2000.

Netherlands are unchanged from the side that lost to India in Leeds. Skipper Babette de Leede had no hesitation in opting to bowl given the overcast skies and the early start. Netherlands are also celebrating two milestones with de Leede and Robine Rijke both playing their 100th T20Is.

Australia: 1 Beth Mooney (wk), 2 Georgia Voll, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Ash Gardner, 5 Georgia Wareham, 6 Nicola Carey, 7 Annabel Sutherland, 8 Sophie Molineux (capt), 9 Kim Garth, 10 Alana King, 11 Lucy Hamilton

Netherlands: 1 Heather Siegers, 2 Phebe Molkenboer, 3 Babette de Leede (capt, wk), 4 Sterre Kalis, 5 Robine Rijke, 6 Frederique Overdijk, 7 Iris Zwilling, 8 Myrthe van den Raad 9 Caroline de Lange, 10 Silver Siegers, 11 Isabel van der Voning

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