Anything less than the final won't do: Villani

Australia batter Elyse Villani believes Victoria won’t have met their potential if they don’t make the final of this year’s Women’s National Cricket League.

Villani has returned to her home state this year after three seasons with Western Australia and is one of two huge inclusions in the Victorian squad for 2018-19 alongside national captain Meg Lanning, who missed last summer through injury.

Before Villani links up with the Australian T20 squad for their three-match series against New Zealand beginning September 29, she’ll line up for Victoria in the opening round of the domestic 50-over competition this weekend.

Travelling to Perth, Victoria will meet Western Australia and South Australia at Murdoch University.

“The squad has changed quite a bit since I was last there, but there are some familiar faces as well, so it’s been nice to come back into that environment and have those people around me,” Villani told cricket.com.au.

Joining Villani and Lanning in the Victorian squad is Australia-contracted allrounder Sophie Molineux, who made her international debut earlier this year, alongside teenage quick Tayla Vlaeminck and leg-spinner Georgia Wareham, who have both received their maiden international call-ups in the T20 squad to play the White Ferns.

It’s an exciting line-up for Victoria, who are looking to improve on a disappointing 2017-18 WNCL campaign that saw them finish second bottom with just two wins from six matches.

“I think we’ve got a really exciting squad, to be honest,” Villani said.

“There’s a good mix of youth and experience, as we’ve seen with Tayla and Georgia getting picked for the first time for Australia.

“I would say we’re excepting to make the final and I think we’ve got the team to win it. Anything less than making the final, and I don’t think we’ll have met our KPIs.”

The 28-year-old hasn’t spent too much time in Melbourne since her return, instead training at Brisbane’s Bupa National Cricket Centre before flying to the United Kingdom to play in their domestic Super League competition.

But Villani says it’s been a refreshing change returning to Victoria, while she’s also enjoying the facilities at the newly renovated Junction Oval.

“The facilities are incredible, they’re very similar to the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane. I’m pretty lucky to have that in my home state and really looking forward to using it,” she said.

“When things are going well, then I’m away a lot with the Australian team, which it what I want to be doing. But when I am back in Australia it’s nice to have time with family and friends to switch off and freshen up.”

Villani’s return has given the Victoria squad a boost both on and off the field, according to Molineux.

“It’s going to be invaluable having Elyse around the squad,” Molineux said.

“She’s quite a bubbly personality and she brings a lot on the field as well.

“With the group being so young, I think Elyse is going to get the best out of everyone, which is a really big benefit to all of us.

“Not just on the field – that speaks for itself – but off the field I think she’s going to be brilliant for the squad.”

A massive summer looms for the Australian team, with the three-match T20 series against New Zealand to be followed by an away tour against Pakistan in Malaysia and an ICC World T20 in Caribbean in November.

Villani is a key cog in Australia’s explosive T20 batting line-up and the 28-year-old says her major focus will be on making sure she’s playing the right style of cricket, whether it’s for Victoria or Australia.

“For me, if I’m enjoying myself and playing the style of cricket I want to play, then results will hopefully take care of themselves,” she said.

CommBank T20 INTLs v NZ 

September 29: First T20I, North Sydney Oval, Sydney

October 1: Second T20I, Allan Border Field, Brisbane

October 5: Third T20I, Manuka Oval, Canberra