Annabel Sutherland is a chance to make a shock return from injury for Victoria in Saturday’s domestic one-day final.
Sutherland was ruled out of Australia’s current tour of New Zealand – and at the time, the remainder of the summer – earlier this month due to a stress reaction in the femur of her right leg.
However the allrounder has been included in Victoria’s 15-player squad for the Women’s National Cricket League final against Queensland at Junction Oval, one of two additions to the group that travelled to Perth last weekend alongside uncapped batter Zoe Griffith.
Captain Elyse Villani confirmed the two additions to the squad on Friday morning, but was coy when asked about Sutherland’s chances of actually playing in the final XI.
“Everyone in the 15 is a chance to play,” Villani said.
“I leave that stuff to the medical staff and the physio, but it’s exciting for us if she gets up.
“She’s been training.”
If Sutherland was to play, it would be an enormous addition for a Victoria team missing six other international players – Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Tayla Vlaeminck and Molly Strano – due to the New Zealand tour.
Sutherland, 19, was pulled out of contention for that trip across the Tasman after experiencing “some vague posterior thigh pain” following Victoria’s match against Tasmania in Hobart on February 28.
Villani said the final XI for the final would be determined on Friday.
“(Coach) Lachlan Stevens and I had a discussion yesterday.
“It’s really exciting, we know we’ve got a squad of 15 and we know anyone who gets given the opportunity tomorrow to represent Victoria will do an incredible job.
“We know there will be a few disappointed girls who miss out but we’re really thrilled with our 15-person squad and looking forward to seeing what the XI tomorrow can do.”
Victoria squad: Elyse Villani (c), Makinley Blows, Lucy Cripps, Sophie Day, Bhavi Devchand, Elly Donald, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Kim Garth, Zoe Griffiths, Ella Hayward, Anna Lanning, Courtney Neale, Annabel Sutherland, Amy Vine
