Vlaeminck makes another stunning return from injury

Victorian fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck has made another successful return to the Australian team from injury after impressing at state level to earn a call up to the squad for the T20I and ODI CommBank Tour of Bangladesh starting on March 21. 

The 25-year-old made a comeback for Victoria earlier this year in the WNCL after recovering from a shoulder injury she suffered playing for Australia A in England last July. 

When Vlaeminck found out about her call-up to Aussie colours from national selector Shawn Flegler, it was a full circle moment for the Plenty Valley cricketer, after he had been the one to take her to get scans when she injured her shoulder in the UK. 

"Me and Flegs (Shawn Flegler) got stitched up doing about a three-hour trip into London in peak hour to get an X-ray," she recalled when speaking to reporters on Tuesday.

"I probably wasn't in the best of moods, so it probably wasn't the best trip."

The right-armer will now make a remarkable third return to national colours from injury after a stress fracture in her navicular bone (foot) on two prior occasions had pulled her out of Australian teams in early 2022 and 2020.

Vlaeminck said it was a "nice feeling" to be able to overcome another injury setback in her career to return to the Australian side. 

"After the phone call yesterday, I was kind of sitting on the couch just reflecting on the last couple of years and it just didn't really feel real," she said.

"There's just been so many times where I have come into the Junction (Cricket Victoria's training facility) and grinded away, and wasn't sure if it would actually happen and if I would be able to get back to the point where it would happen (a return to the Australian team).

"I am just so pumped and so grateful for all the support I have received."

Vlaeminck thanked staff at Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria for their support in her recovery. 

"They have just been there the whole way, calling me every week, checking in, I have been up there for camps to freshen things up. They have just been there and supported me the whole time and I am really grateful for that," she said.

Flegler mentioned that intel from former Aussie captain and current Victorian batter Meg Lanning played a part in her recall.

"I think every time she bowled in the WNCL, she got better and better," Flegler said about Vlaeminck. 

"I know she had a session with Meg Lanning, a centre wicket, before one of the WNCL games and Meg was full of praise at how quick she was bowling and her great outswing. 

"It's a nice opportunity to have Tay back in and around the squad; it's a good chance for her to go overseas with the Australian team again."

CommBank Tour of Bangladesh

March 21: First ODI, Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (2:30pm AEDT)

March 24: Second ODI, Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (2:30pm AEDT)

March 27: Third ODI, Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (2:30pm AEDT)

March 31: First T20I, Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (5:00pm AEDT)

April 2: Second T20I, Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (5:00pm AEDT)

April 4: Third T20I, Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka (5:00pm AEDT)

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris (T20s only), Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (vc), Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Tayla Vlaeminck