Australia spearhead to captain the Scorpions in the Women's National Cricket League
Schutt named South Australia skipper
Australia spearhead Megan Schutt has named South Australia captain for the upcoming Women’s National Cricket League season.
Swing bowler Schutt replaces Tegan McPharlin, who has stepped down into the vice-captain position to focus on her own game.
Schutt, 25, has been McPharlin’s deputy for the past two WNCL seasons but still admitted to being surprised when she got the call from coach Andrea McCauley.
"I'm here to win" 👊New skipper @megan_schutt on her leadership style and her plans for the 2018-19 summer 📽 #WNCL pic.twitter.com/zp8Njb8pON— SA Scorpions (@ScorpionsSA) June 27, 2018
“I just said yes straight away and then afterwards I thought about it and got a bit frightened!” Schutt said.
“I never thought I’d be captain of the Scorps.
“It’s a real honour to be selected for that, I guess it just kind of happened.
“I’ve been in cricket for a long time now and more responsibility has fallen on my shoulders and it’s probably a good thing.”
Schutt, who took eight wickets at 24.50 last WNCL season, has risen up the ranks in world cricket in recent years and is currently the No.1 ranked T20I bowler, while she sits No.2 in the ODI charts behind national teammate Jess Jonassen.
She was named player of the series in the T20I tri-series between Australia, India and England in March, after taking nine wickets at 12.33, with an economy rate of 6.28 in a series dominated by batters.
Having played three Test matches, 46 ODIs and 35 T20Is, Schutt was also part of the Scorpions team that won the 2015-16 WNCL title.
Schutt is the second Australian-contracted player to become a state captain in the last week, after the news wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy would replace the retired Alex Blackwell as leader of New South Wales.
They join national skipper Meg Lanning, who is also captain of Victoria, as Australian players holding current state leadership positions.
Tasmania have yet to confirm their 2018-19 skipper after a name change that will see them play as the Tigers alongside the men’s team this summer, while Western Australia are on the hunt for a new captain after Elyse Villani announced she was returning home to Victoria.
Commonwealth Bank T20I series 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
Commonwealth Bank ODI series v NZ
February 22: First ODI, WACA Ground, Perth
February 24: Second ODI, Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide
March 3: Third ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne