Teenager Darcie Brown has been earned a full Cricket Australia contract after having a stunning series last month which was her international debut too. However, she is the only new face on the contract list of 15 players for the 2021-22 season.
However, Darcie Brown, who was named “the fastest bowler in the country” by national selector Shawn Flegler, has taken the place of veteran Delissa Kimmince, who has announced her retirement from international cricket. Meanwhile, she has become the youngest player (turned 18 last month) to earn a full CA contract since Lauren Cheatle, who was earned it as a 17-year-old in 2016.
“Darcie is an incredibly exciting fast-bowling talent, as we saw on the recent T20I and ODI tour of New Zealand, and she has consistently been the fastest bowler in the country as shown by our testing around the states,” Flegler said. “She’s had tremendous raw pace throughout the junior ranks, and we think she has the potential to form an excellent new ball partnership with Tayla Vlaeminck for many years to come.”
However, Darcie Brown made her senior domestic debut last year and did quite well in the WBBL last season while playing for the Adelaide Strikers, where she claimed 10 wickets at an economy rate of 5.52 an over. She made her T20I and ODI debuts against New Zealand in the recently-concluded series and earned high praise from former Australia quick, Ryan Harris also.
“Darcie just does it so easy,” Harris said. “It makes me jealous, actually, because I had to work hard to bowl fast and she does it so easy as well. She’s got it all. She’s an athlete, she gets into the wicket easy and gets through her delivery stride with ease.”
Harris continued: “The sky is the limit. I look at her and the ease in the way she does run into the wicket and delivers the ball, her pace is really good for her age. I think there’s still room for improvement there as well, which is the scary thing.”
Three-time T20 World Cup winner Delissa Kimmince has called time on a storied career.
You're a ⭐, DK. Thanks for everything 👏 pic.twitter.com/82eqphL7Cs
— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) April 15, 2021
On the other hand, Delissa Kimmince has hung up her boots as a three-time T20 World Cup winner and two-time WBBL champion with the Brisbane Heat as well. She made her international debut at the age of 18 way back in 2008 and has 59 wickets from 60 matches as well.
“DK should be incredibly proud of her contribution to Australian cricket,” Flegler said. “She made her international debut at the very young age of 18, took a break from the game and returned to make a huge contribution at all levels.”
“During that time she developed from a raw fast bowler into a genuine allrounder and has been regarded as one of the best fielders in the world. She’s a been a wonderful teammate and an important member of our Ashes- and T20 World Cup-winning squads and we thank her for her outstanding service to the game,” Flegler again shared.
Meanwhile, 15 players have been named in the contract who will play a handful of series – a home Ashes campaign against England and the ODI World Cup against New Zealand next year as well. Despite being the T20 World Cup winner and the most successful team – be it, men or women, in the 50-over format, winning a record 24 ODIs on a trot, they are not the winner of the 50-over World Cup, as England won it in 2017.
Players who miss out on the initial contract list can be upgraded during the year by earning selection in national teams. Players need to accrue 12 upgrade points to earn a contract, with Tests worth four points for women’s players and ODIs and T20s worth two each.
Flegler also added the recent performances of the players like Georgia Redmayne, Elyse Villani, Katie Mack, Bridget Patterson and Rachel Trenamen, but further shared that the other group of Meg Lanning, Rachael Haynes, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney and Alyssa Healy is “a tough group to crack” into.
Cricket Australia contract list for 2021-22 season:
Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Meg Lanning, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham
