Tasmania women’s 2021-22 team: Tasmania confirmed one of the worst-kept secrets of the off-season on Friday when they unveiled a women’s 2021-22 contract list featuring off-spinner Strano and opening bat Elyse Villani.
Tasmania women’s 2021-22 team
Offspinner Strano, who was part of Australia’s successful T20 World Cup squad last year, was a late addition to Australia’s tour of New Zealand although did not feature in any of the matches but Villani has not been selected since early 2019.
Silver-Holmes made her WBBL debut for Sydney Sixers aged 15 and her WNCL debut for New South Wales at 16 making her the second-youngster player for state. She will bolster Tasmania’s pace-bowling resources as they look to build on last season’s third-place finish.
“It’s a really exciting group of players we’ve got here at the Tigers,” head coach Salliann Beams said.
“We’ve worked to build both our program and our list over the past few years, and with the additions to our playing group this year, it’s a testament to the staff and players within our program – as well as the wider organisation – that we have players of this calibre wanting to be a part of our team.”
Amy Smith, the 16-year-old legspinner, is among the current Tasmania players to sign new deals along with former New Zealand wicketkeeper Rachel Priest.
“The big thing for me when I came here was making sure this program was a destination club … that being part of this program meant you could go on to bigger and better things,” Beams said.
“We’ve worked to build both our program and our list over the past few years, and with the additions to our playing group this year, it’s a testament to the staff and players within our program – as well as the wider organisation – that we have players of this calibre wanting to be a part of our team.
“Through this and our Journey 25 vision, we are building both a team that has what it takes to bring home that WNCL title, but also a team that can continue to inspire the next generation of Tasmanian girls to believe that cricket is truly a career they can take to the highest level if they wish.”
Emma Thompson will sit out the upcoming summer after announcing her first pregnancy and will be replaced on the Tigers’ list by local wicketkeeper-batter Emma Manix-Geeves while she takes maternity leave.
Manix-Geeves, a past Tasmania contract holder, earned another opportunity after a standout Cricket Tasmania Premier League season.
Departing the Tigers are left-arm spinner Samantha Bates, who has secured a contract with Victoria, while Brooke Hepburn retired and Meg Phillips was delisted.
2021-22 Tasmania Women’s Contract list
In: Hayley Silver-Holmes (NSW), Elyse Villani (Vic), Molly Strano (Vic)
Out: Brooke Hepburn (retired), Sam Bates (Vic), Meg Phillips (delisted)
Squad: Chloe Abel, Nicola Carey (CA contracted player), Maisy Gibson, Heather Graham, Corinne Hall, Emma Manix-Geeves, Sasha Moloney, Rachel Priest, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Amy Smith, Emily Smith, Naomi Stalenberg, Molly Strano, Emma Thompson (maternity leave 2021-22), Belinda Vakarewa, Elyse Villani
Also read: Sri Lanka vs India 2021: Squad, Schedule for T20I and ODI
