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'Bendigo bullet' ready to fire for Hurricanes

Tayla Vlaeminck has a new home at Hobart Hurricanes and heads into WBBL|05 full of confidence after finding form for Australia

When Sir Curtly Ambrose is standing up and taking notice, you know you’re doing something right as a fast bowler.

Australian quick Tayla Vlaeminck caught the eye of the West Indies legend during a tour of the Caribbean last month, where the 20-year-old was given a license to unleash her pace and bounce against the local batters in all three one-dayers and the first T20I.

Now, the ‘Bendigo bullet’ hopes to continue the momentum gained across that series, and the subsequent home contest against Sri Lanka, into her first season with new Rebel WBBL club Hobart Hurricanes.

Vlaeminck did not necessarily get the reward she would have liked during those ODIs against the West Indies, collecting two scalps in three games in Antigua, but her raw pace consistently troubled her rivals and impressed Ambrose, who was commentating the series.

"I just enjoy the way she approaches her fast bowling," Ambrose said at the time.

"She’s always aggressive and that’s very good. Batters are always being cautious and have to be aware."

Image Id: 4D890BC171A44CE69022989864202F77 Image Caption: Vlaeminck unleashes against Sri Lanka // Getty

For Vlaeminck, the most rewarding aspect of that Caribbean campaign, was the chance to play a string of back-to-back matches in the green and gold.

When she arrived in the West Indies, the right-armer had played just one ODI and two T20Is spread across three different tours.

The opportunities continued when Vlaeminck returned home for the recently completed series against Sri Lanka, where she produced some unplayable spells across three T20Is and the first two one-dayers and collected six wickets, including 2-14 from 7.3 overs in the opening ODI.

"It’s good to be able to get a few games in a row, it always helps your confidence knowing that you’re getting a start and you’re not always trying to press for selection," Vlaeminck told cricket.com.au late last month.

"There were some pretty dead wickets in Antigua, they were probably some of the hardest conditions we’ve had to play in as a team

"I’m just trying to run in hard and hit the wicket and see what happens."

Her pace – which currently edges above 120km/h and has the potential to get even quicker as she grows stronger – is a point of difference in the Australian attack.

Now, she’s taking her speed and distinct, hyperextended action to the Hurricanes, where she’ll likely make her debut in the purple against the Melbourne Stars at Junction Oval on Saturday.

Image Id: CEC0F7BDE8494F3EA3A98F72FC80ED93 Image Caption: Vlaeminck bowls during the Ashes in England // Getty

Vlaeminck was a listed Renegades squad member for three years but only made her debut last season, following her Australian debut, due to a string of serious injuries.

The most recent of those was a partial ACL tear that prematurely ended her 2018-19 summer.

She sees the move to the Hurricanes as a chance to make a fresh start and put those injuries of the past – which include two knee reconstructions and a dislocated shoulder – behind her.

"I enjoyed my time at Renegades but this is just something fresh," Vlaeminck said.

"I needed a bit of a new start and I’m looking forward to getting down to Hobart … hopefully I can be out on the field a little more there than I was in the early days (for the Renegades)."

The WBBL season kicks off on Friday night with a Sydney derby between the Sixers and Thunder at North Sydney Oval.

The Hurricanes meet the Stars at Junction Oval on Saturday and Sunday at 2pm AEDT.

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