ICC women’s T20 World Cup: Erin Burns cracks Australian team
She’s a cricketer who thought she might be too “over the hill’’ to play for her country. But selectors though differently. FULL AUSTRALIAN ICC WORLD CUP SQUAD
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They say good things come to those who wait but Erin Burns has to be the most patient person in sport.
The Sydney cricketer had to wait until she was 30 to make her debut for Australia.
She still hasn’t cracked NSW at age 31.
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But on Thursday Burns was named in the Australia squad for the looming ICC T20 World Cup.
Burns, who plays club cricket for Bankstown, lives in Enmore and works at Neutral Bay, has taken an unconventional road to the elite level for her sport.
She’s spent vast time in Tasmania plying her trade and for eight years has worked full-time as a physiotherapist.
Now, thanks to “a very understanding boss’’, she is given the required time off to pursue her cricket now her career has reignited.
“I’ve seen a bit of the paying to play era as well, where you forked out a couple of grand to go anywhere,’’ said Burns, who played for the Sydney Sixers this season.
“Now we are getting renumerated by your state and country which is great.’’
Burns said even she had wondered if she was too old to still be in the running to play for Australia when she made her debut in a one-dayer against the West Indies in September and got her first Twenty20 cap less than a week later for debut number two.
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“I think it was great although I didn’t necessarily think it was on the cards,’’ Burns said.
“I was just having fun playing my cricket. I thought I was a little over the hill to speak.’’
The all-rounder said playing a World Cup at home would be a dream come true.
“I just have to go out there and keep enjoying my cricket. That’s when I play my best,’’ she said.
Australia is hosting the women’s T20 World Cup from February 21 to March 8.
The tournament opens with Australia taking on India at Sydney Showground on February 21.
Australia has been drawn in Group A with India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh,
Group B boasts England, South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan and Thailand.
Australia CommBank T20 Tri-Series and ICC Women’s T20 World Cup squad: Meg Lanning – captain (Victoria), Rachael Haynes – vice-captain (NSW), Erin Burns (NSW), Nicola Carey (Tasmania), Ashleigh Gardner (NSW), Alyssa Healy (NSW), Jess Jonassen (Queensland), Delissa Kimmince (Queensland), Sophie Molineux (Victoria), Beth Mooney (Queensland), Ellyse Perry (Victoria), Megan Schutt (South Australia), Annabel Sutherland (Victoria), Tayla Vlaeminck (Victoria), Georgia Wareham (Victoria).
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