Aussie star Gardner injured in warm-up, out of NZ game
Reigning Belinda Clark award winner Ash Gardner has been injured in the warm-up and ruled out of Australia’s first Twenty20 against New Zealand.
Fellow allrounder Heather Graham has received a late call-up to take on the White Ferns in Mackay after Gardner copped a hit in the jaw during a collision with Georgia Wareham.
Powerful Australian batter Grace Harris has been ruled out of the three-match series after straining her right calf at training this week.
Australia expect her to be fit and available for next month’s T20 World Cup in the UAE.
New Zealand have suffered a blow of their own with captain Sophie Devine not available for the series-opener, with Suzie Bates to skipper in her absence.
The White Ferns have lost their last seven T20s, with another defeat to equal their worst losing streak in their history.
AUSTRALIA: Alyssa Healy (capt), Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Heather Graham, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaeminck
NEW ZEALAND: Suzie Bates (capt), Georgia Plimmer, Amelie Kerr, Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Izzy Gaze, Leigh Kasperek, Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Molly Penfold, Fran Jonas.
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