WNCL preview: Mooney set for Western Australia debut

Beth Mooney will make her Western Australia debut this week, with the star wicketkeeper-batter giving the state a welcome boost as they look to turn their fortunes around this season.

Western Australia have won just two matches across the past two summers, but the addition of Mooney and availability of leg-spinner Alana King have the state in a good position to begin their 2022-23 campaign on a high note at home.

Mooney will provide invaluable experience to Western Australia's young group, which includes another former Queenslander in spinner Lilly Mills, who also made the switch to WA.

"It's massive," WA coach Becky Grundy told cricket.com.au when asked what Mooney would add to the group.

"What she brings on field, everyone kind of knows about that.

"But having someone who's such a high performer off the field as well, there'll be huge learnings for the girls to watch her train, watch how she goes about her business and then there's her experience, she can help (captain) Chloe Piparo from a leadership point of view too.

"She's been away for our preseason playing (overseas) but she's back in town now and straight into the mix and helping more in terms of planning and fields and all that sort of stuff."

Spin-bowling allrounder Charis Bekker and batter Poppy Stockwell, both contenders for Australia’s Under-19 World Cup squad, have earned their first full contracts, while Piepa Cleary is back after a season away.

Last year’s WNCL result: 7th (0 wins, 7 loses, 1 NR)

Contract List

Charis Bekker, Zoe Britcliffe, Mathilda Carmichael, Piepa Cleary, Sheldyn Cooper, Maddy Darke, Ashley Day, Amy Edgar, Lisa Griffith, Alana King*, Lilly Mills, Beth Mooney*, Taneale Peschel, Chloe Piparo, Poppy Stockwell, Georgia Wyllie

* Denotes Cricket Australia contract

Ins: Charis Bekker, Piepa Cleary, Lilly Mills (Queensland), Beth Mooney (Queensland), Poppy Stockwell

Outs: Nicole Bolton (retired), Molly Healy (delisted), Courtney Neale (delisted)

Possible best XI

Mooney (wk), Piparo (c), Day, Darke, Carmichael, Edgar, King, Peschel, Mills, Cleary, Wyllie

Aussie player availability

CA-contracted stars Beth Mooney and Alana King are expected to be available for the first two rounds of matches in September and early October ahead of WBBL|08, and for the fourth round of games in early January ahead of the home ODI and T20I series against Pakistan.

However, December's tour of India will rule those selected out of the matches played immediately after the WBBL, and the 2023 T20 World Cup in South Africa next February will overlap with the final two rounds as well as the final, to be played on February 25.

The inside word with coach Becky Grundy

The pre-season

"We've had a couple of people over in the UK, and Moons and Alana away with (Commonwealth Games) and Hundred stuff. So it's been nice to be able to work really hard with our domestic players, because they're the ones who generally win you games, particularly when Moons and Alana go on the road (with Australia).

"It's just about getting confidence back in those players ... we've played two (practice matches) against South Australia, and three against Tasmania over the last few weeks. We lost on the last ball against South Australia in the first game and they beat us in the second, (then) we beat Tasmania in the first two, then lost the last one with our younger side. So it's been really good, good learnings have come out of that and it builds momentum into the first game."

Injury update

"Ash Day's got a little bit of a hammy strain, so she's unavailable but outside of that we're good to go."

Player/s to watch

"Georgia Wyllie featured last year making her debut and she continues to get better, and she's hopefully put an extra yard (of pace) on. Charis Bekker recently featured in the under-19 Lanning versus Perry matches and she's an allrounder for us, a left-arm spinner who is still learning her craft but really talented with the bat too and also one of our best fielders. It's awesome that we're talking about some of our youngest players as being players that can can really impact the game."

Areas for improvement

"Off the back of last year we've been really clear in terms of the areas that we're wanting to try and improve. The game is moving forward ... and it's really important that we can move with it. So we've emphasised being able to be brave (with the bat) and be prepared to to move the game forward. The addition of Moons at the top hopefully gives us that experience and stability but it's actually the domestic players who are the ones that generally get you over the line or not."

Schedule:

September 23 v ACT, WACA Ground (D/N)

September 25 v ACT, WACA Ground

September 30 v NSW, North Sydney Oval (D/N)

October 2 v NSW, North Sydney Oval

December 21 v Queensland, WACA Ground (D/N)

December 23 v Queensland, WACA Ground (D/N)

January 4 v South Australia, WACA Ground (D/N)

January 6 v South Australia, WACA Ground (D/N)

February 8 v Victoria, CitiPower Centre

February 10 v Victoria, CitiPower Centre

February 14 v Tasmania, Blundstone Arena                

February 16 v Tasmania, Blundstone Arena 

February 25: Final, TBC