Victoria unveil Male and Female squads, name change

Cricket Victoria has today announced the Victorian Men’s Cricket Team and Victorian Women’s Cricket Team squads ahead of the 2018-19 domestic season.

In a new era for Victorian cricket, the usage of both the ‘Bushrangers’ and ‘VicSpirit’ names will cease and the teams will officially be referred to as the Victorian Men’s Cricket Team and Victorian Women’s Cricket Team into the future.

The change in names has been made to simplify the number of elite team cricket brands in Victoria.

Both teams will now wear uniforms bearing the Victorian Cricket Association (VCA) logo.

2018-19 Victorian Men’s Squad

There is a strong youth focus in the men’s squad next season.

Sam Grimwade and Will Sutherland have been elevated from rookie level to full contracts for 2018-19, while Will Pucovski, Sam Harper, Xavier Crone, Matt Short and Jackson Coleman have also signed on and are in the early stages of their careers.

Sutherland made his List A debut for Victoria during last year’s JLT One Day Cup against New South Wales at North Sydney Oval while Grimwade, a right-arm off-spinner, was Victoria’s leading wicket taker in the Toyota Futures League.

Seventeen-year-old Mackenzie Harvey is another new face to the Victorian Men’s Team, joining Geelong batsman Eamonn Vines on a full contract for the upcoming season.

Victoria has also secured young South Australian leg-spinner Tom O’Connell on a multi year deal.

O’Connell is moving to Melbourne to enhance his playing opportunities and is widely considered one of the country’s emerging leg spinners.

Fast-bowling duo Zak Evans and Mitch Perry have retained their rookie contracts from 2016-17, while fellow quick Wes Agar, Australian Under-19 all-rounder Jon Merlo, Victorian Under-19 batsman Ed Newman and young wicketkeeper Patrick Rowe have all earned new contracts on the rookie list for this season.

Cricket Victoria Chairman of Selectors Andrew Lynch said there were a range of opportunities for young players this season.

“I’m pleased that we’ve been able to upgrade the likes of Will Sutherland and Mackenzie Harvey on to full contracts and enable Tom O’Connell to continue his career development in Victoria. From my perspective it’s about working with Andrew McDonald to strike the right balance of youth and experience and I think we’ve got that,” Lynch said.

“We’re excited by our new rookies Wes Agar, Edward Newman, Jonathan Merlo and Patrick Rowe. Three of the four are products of the Victorian Pathway program, have performed at Premier Cricket level, represented the state at national carnivals and are now ready to enter our elite setup.”

“I’d also like to thank Fawad Ahmed, John Hastings and Dan Christian in particular for their contributions to Victorian cricket in recent years,” Lynch said

Leaving the squad from last year is John Hastings who retired during the JLT One-Day Cup while Fawad Ahmed, Daniel Christian, James Muirhead, Blake Thomson, Guy Walker, Jackson Koop and Tom O’Donnell were not offered contracts for the upcoming season.

2018-19 Victorian Women’s Squad



Meg Lanning will return as captain after missing the 2017-18 WNCL season through injury, while Kristen Beams, who took over the captaincy in Lanning’s absence, will continue as vice-captain of the team.

Among the new faces in the squad this season are Melbourne Cricket Club duo Elly Donald and Amy Vine, as well as Dandenong Cricket Club quick Courtney Neale.

Vine was recently named in the Women’s Premier Team of the Season for 2017-18, and provides another batting option in the squad. Her MCC teammate Elly Donald is a skillful all-rounder, while Courtney Neale’s right arm fast bowling adds more depth to the developing Victorian pace attack.

Cricket Victoria General Manager of Cricket Operations Shaun Graf said the return of Meg Lanning will benefit the squad both on and off field.

“Meg is arguably the world’s best player and her absence last season had a natural impact on our batting depth, however this did help provide an opportunity for several of our younger players to debut which was invaluable,” said Graf .

“Although our win/loss ratio was naturally disappointing, I’m very pleased with the level of individual development that took place. Seeing Sophie Molineux earn a national contract plus Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland and Nicole Faltum included in the recent Under-19 Australian Tour to South Africa was a positive indication of the direction we’re heading in.”

Three players from last year’s squad in Hayleigh Brennan (released), Gemma Triscari (retired) and Anna Lanning were not retained for the upcoming season.

Victorian Men’s Cricket Team 2018-19 squad

Scott Boland

Jackson Coleman

Xavier Crone

Travis Dean

Aaron Finch*

Sebastian Gotch

Sam Grimwade

Peter Handscomb (C)*

Sam Harper

Marcus Harris

Mackenzie Harvey

Jon Holland

Glenn Maxwell *

Tom O’Connell

James Pattinson

Will Pucovski

Jake Reed

Matthew Short

Peter Siddle

Will Sutherland

Chris Tremain

Eamonn Vines

Cameron White

Wes Agar (Rookie contract)

Zak Evans (Rookie contract)

Jonathan Merlo (Rookie contract)

Edward Newman (Rookie contract)

Mitch Perry (Rookie contract)

Patrick Rowe (Rookie contract)

Victorian Women’s Cricket Team 2018-19 squad

Kristen Beams (Vice-Captain)

Makinley Blows

Elly Donald

Nicole Faltum

Emma Inglis

Alana King

Meg Lanning (C)*

Sophie Molineux*

Courtney Neale

Rhiann O’Donnell

Chloe Rafferty

Molly Strano

Annabel Sutherland

Amy Vine

Tayla Vlaeminck

Georgia Wareham

*denotes Cricket Australia contract