sport, national-sport,

Melbourne Renegades skipper Jess Duffin is steeling herself for "awkward" chats with AFLW club North Melbourne once she returns to Arden Street. The 30-year-old's season with the Kangaroos is likely to clash with Australia's T20 World Cup campaign. Duffin is expected to be a part of the home team's side after her WBBL form this summer. She scored 53 in Sunday's 29-run win over Sydney Thunder to secure fourth-spot on the ladder for the Renegades and a place in this weekend's finals in Brisbane. Having opted to overlook a chance to play for Australia A next month to train with the Kangaroos, Duffin said her sporting priorities would be the other way around if picked for Australia's World Cup squad. "I haven't really been around North Melbourne yet, so it's going to be a little bit awkward when I walk back into the club," Duffin told RSN 927 radio on Monday. "It's not perfect timing. "But at the end of the day it's a World Cup and you're playing for Australia. "You can't say no to it." Duffin has represented Australia more than 100 times and was a member of the T20 World Cup-winning team in 2010 in the West Indies. However, she hasn't played internationally since 2015 after opting to focus on her football career, spending the 2017 and '18 AFLW seasons with Collingwood before joining expansion club North for the 2019 season. "I haven't even looked at the World Cup fixture either, I never thought it (selection) was going to be on the cards," Duffin said. "I guess it would come down to what North see and the Australian selectors see. "Australia is a very good side and it is very hard to get into the Australian team." Australian Associated Press

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