Hurricanes women’s team bolster fast bowling stocks with addition of T20 World Cup winning squad member

Injuries have prevented the Hurricanes latest signing Tayla Vlaeminck from stringing together some consistent cricket but she’s still in the mix for Australian selection.

New WBBL Hobart Hurricanes player Tayla Vlaeminck. Photograph EDDIE SAFARIK

HIGHLY touted prospect Tayla Vlaeminck hopes a move from Melbourne to Hobart for next summer’s WBBL tournament can help her become a regular in the national set-up.

The 20-year-old fast bowler joins Australian all-rounder Nicola Carey as high profile recruits for the Hurricanes for WBBL|05 as the group looks to put two substandard campaigns behind it.

Serious injuries have restricted Vlaeminck’s ability to truly show her potential, but national selectors clearly have not been off put.

Four years ago Vlaeminck ruptured her ACL and two matches into her comeback she suffered a partial tear of the ligament, only to continue playing and completely rupture it again two months later.

Tayla Vlaeminck of the renegades bowls during the Women's Big Bash League match between the Melbourne Renegades and the Sydney Thunder last season. Picture: Getty

In November 2017 Vlaeminck dislocated her shoulder playing for Victoria — ruling her out of WBBL|03 — but eye-catching performances for her home state saw her selected in the Australian under-19 side.

Vlaeminck made her international debut last October against Pakistan in an ODI, and was part of Australia’s T20 World Cup winning squad in the West Indies, making one appearance against India.

“I have heard a lot of good things about Sal as a head coach and I’ve also heard a lot of good things about the program and the way it is heading in Tassie,” said Vlaeminck, who has not played since again hurting her knee just before New Years.

“I thought it was a pretty good opportunity for me and I am really excited about it.

“The Renegades have been really good to me over the last couple of years and helped support me through some tough injuries, but at the end of the day I felt the opportunity I could get at the Hurricanes was going to help develop my cricket and the Hurricanes seem like a really good environment for a fresh start.”

Tayla Vlaeminck bowls during the warm up match between South Africa and Australia ahead of the ICC Women's World T20 2018 tournament lasty year. Picture: IDI

Vlaeminck, who was handed a contract with the National Performance Squad in April, is hopeful a careful rehabilitation from her latest knee problem will see her string some consistent cricket together.

“I feel like it has been a bit of a cycle … hopefully the longer rehab period I took with my knee to get it a bit stronger this time will cut that cycle and I will be able to get a good stint on the park to play some cricket.

“Hopefully with some opportunity at the Hurricanes and the good coaches down there I can put my name forward for some more [Australian] selection in the future.”