SA allrounder Tahlia McGrath happy to be fit and healthy and jetting off on a tour of England with the Australia A squad
She might be only 23, but Tahlia McGrath is already one of the most senior SA cricketers. And as she embarks on a tour of England, she’s revealed her hopes for the future.
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HEADING to England on a cricket tour has been at the top of South Australian allrounder Tahlia McGrath’s wishlist.
And on Monday her wish came true as she flew out of Adelaide bound for London, where she will embark on a four-week tour of England with her Australia A teammates.
McGrath has toured in the green gold with Australia A throughout Asia, but is yet to head to the United Kingdom.
“I’m really excited to get the opportunity to go over to England, it’s somewhere that I’ve always wanted to go, so to be able to tick that one off the list is pretty exciting,” she said.
The medium-fast bowler and right-handed batter who successfully overcame a back injury that restricted her bowling loads over summer, said she hoped English conditions would suit her game.
“I’ve heard it’s pretty similar to Australian conditions, but potentially you get a bit more swing, so I’m hoping that suits my bowling,” she said.
“Apparently they’ve got quite small grounds over there, so hopefully I can maximise the short boundaries.”
Australia A, which also includes SA spin bowler Amanda-Jade Wellington, will play a series of 50-over and 20-over matches against England and an England Academy squad, while also taking on England in a three-day, red-ball warm-up ahead of the Ashes Test.
The A tour coincides with the Women’s Ashes Series being played out between the Australian Women’s cricket team and England, starting on July 2.
“It’s very exciting being over there at the same time (as the Australian team),” McGrath said.
“I definitely hope to watch a few of their games, in particular I wouldn’t mind catching a day’s play of the Test match while we’re over there.”
McGrath made her own Test debut for Australia in November 2017, when she played in the Ashes match in Sydney and took three wickets.
A back injury has kept her out of her best form, however she’s hoping to prove herself on English soil and continue to push her case for a coveted Australian contract.
“My back’s as good as it’s ever been right now, I’m confident with how that’s going,” she said.
“Ever since I did my back, I’ve been on really strict bowling loads and they’ve been monitoring me a fair bit.
“I got through a full summer of cricket last year injury free, and I’m hoping that’s well and truly behind me now.”
McGrath, who plays for the SA Scorpions in the WNCL and the Adelaide Strikers in the WBBL, said that despite being only 23 she was looking to develop into leadership.
“(The Scorpions) have a really young squad and I’m definitely one of the most senior players and the next progression in my game is to take on more of a leadership role,” she said.
“It’s something that I’ve been working on a fair bit and when talking to coaches … it’s something I definitely want to implement into my game.”
McGrath, who in March won the Andrea McCauley Trophy for 2018-19, as the best and fairest player for the Scorpions, said she wanted to return from England a better cricketer.
“I’m wanting to test my game in the conditions … understand my own game a bit more and test myself against some of the world’s best in the England girls,” she said.
Australia A schedule:
Warm-up match
June 29: England v Australia A, Loughborough
One-day matches
July 3: England Women’s Academy v Australia, Loughborough
July 5: England Women’s Academy v Australia, Loughborough
July 8: England Women’s Academy v Australia, Loughborough
Three-day tour match
July 12-14: England v Australia A, Millfield School, Street
20-over matches
July 17: England Women’s Academy v Australia, Millfield School, Street
July 19: England Women’s Academy v Australia, Millfield School, Street
Ashes Tour of England:
July 2: First ODI, Grace Road, Leicester
July 4: Second ODI, Grace Road, Leicester
July 7: Third ODI, St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury
July 11-13: England Academy v Australia, Marlborough College, Swindon
July 18-21: Only Test, The County Ground, Taunton
July 26: First T20, County Ground, Chelmsford
July 28: Second T20, The County Ground, Hove
July 31: Third T20, Bristol County Ground, Bristol
A Test victory is worth four points (two each for a draw), two points are awarded for ODI and T20 wins