Melbourne, April 8: Cricket Australia (CA) has unveiled the central contracts for women cricketers for the 2026-27 season. The list features new talents like Lucy Hamilton and Chloe Ainsworth.
This year’s squad consists of 18 members, with three changes from last year. Tasmanian all-rounder Nicola Carey has been given another opportunity. The young left-arm fast bowler Hamilton earned her first contract after a rapid rise through the ranks. At just 19, she made her senior team debut across all formats within three weeks in March.
After captaining Australia in the Under-19 World Cup in 2025, she joined the senior team during the ODI series against India in Hobart, followed by her Test debut at the WACA Ground. She capped off an impressive month with a T20 match against the West Indies in St. Vincent.
Twenty-year-old fast bowler Ainsworth has yet to debut for the national team, but she has been included in the contract list. Since joining the Perth Scorchers in 2023, she has been recognized as a promising player. In three seasons of the Women’s Big Bash League, she has taken 40 wickets at an average of 22.30 and an economy rate of under seven.
Carey’s return to the contract list follows her comeback to the Australian setup during the multi-format series against India earlier this year. The 32-year-old opted out of her contract in 2023 to focus on domestic cricket with Tasmania, allowing her to enhance her skills and gain exposure in foreign franchise leagues. Her improved performance ultimately paved the way for her return to the national team.
Meanwhile, former captain Alyssa Healy has been dropped from the contract list after concluding her Test career in Perth. Victoria’s Tess Flintoff and Tayla Vlaeminck are also not part of the contracts.
Flintoff, who was included last season based on her potential, could not secure a spot in the national playing eleven during her contract period. On the other hand, Vlaeminck is recovering from a shoulder injury sustained during the 2024 T20 World Cup and has recently returned to play in a domestic red-ball match.
CA’s Performance Head and National Selector Sean Fliegler stated that while Flintoff and Vlaeminck do not have contracts at the moment, they remain in contention for future selections.
The women cricketers awarded contracts by CA for the 2026-27 season include Chloe Ainsworth, Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashley Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, and Georgia Wareham.
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