Chloe Ainsworth Earns Maiden Cricket Australia National Contract

Cricket Australia has announced its 18-member women’s central contract list for the 2026-27 season, introducing two new faces to the national setup. Chloe Ainsworth and Lucy Hamilton have both earned their maiden central contracts, reflecting a shift in the squad’s composition ahead of a demanding international calendar.

The updated roster includes three primary changes from the previous list. Alongside the additions of Ainsworth and Hamilton, all-rounder Nicola Carey has been handed a contract after re-establishing herself at the international level. Carey, a Tasmania representative, had previously declined a deal in 2023 but was recalled to the squad earlier in 2026 to face India and was subsequently part of the recent tour of the West Indies.

New Additions and Player Profiles

Chloe Ainsworth enters the contracted group as an uncapped all-rounder representing Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers. The 20-year-old has seen a rapid rise in the domestic circuit, particularly during the current Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) season. For Western Australia, Ainsworth’s batting was a standout feature, where she recorded 194 runs at an average of 97.00, including a maiden century, while taking three wickets across seven matches.

Ainsworth’s contributions in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) for the Scorchers have further solidified her case for a national contract. She claimed 13 wickets at an average of 28.76 with an economy rate of 7.33. Over the course of three seasons, she has accumulated a total of 40 wickets.

Lucy Hamilton also earns her first national contract following a highly successful introduction to senior international cricket. A left-arm bowler, Hamilton made her debut across all three formats of the game during March 2026. Her inclusion follows strong performances in a handful of appearances against India and the West Indies.

Roster Changes and Retirements

The 2026-27 list marks the end of several tenures. Former captain Alyssa Healy has recently retired from international cricket and is therefore not included in the new group. Tayla Vlaeminck and Tess Flintoff were not handed renewals of their contracts for the upcoming season.

Shawn Flegler, Cricket Australia’s National Selector and Head of Performance for Women’s Cricket, addressed the exclusions of Vlaeminck and Flintoff, noting that the organization will continue to support their development and that both players remain in contention for future selection.

It’s exciting to see Lucy Hamilton and Chloe Ainsworth earn their first national contracts, which is a testament to the impact and talent they’ve showed at domestic level, while Nicola Carey retains her recent upgrade after some strong performances over the last two series.

Shawn Flegler

Flegler further clarified the status of the players who missed out on contracts, stating While Tayla and Tess aren’t on the list this year, we’ll continue to support their development and they are both very much still in contention for selection.

Upcoming International Schedule

The introduction of fresh pace-bowling options like Ainsworth and Hamilton comes at a critical time as Australia prepares for a packed T20 calendar. Over the next 12 months, the Australian women’s team is scheduled to compete in a T20 World Cup held in England.

Following the World Cup, Australia will host white-ball matches at home against New Zealand and Bangladesh. The team’s itinerary also includes away series in South Africa and Sri Lanka.

While the central contract list is set at 18 players, Cricket Australia maintains the flexibility to provide upgrades to other players during the season. This pathway was recently utilized by Nicola Carey, who earned an upgrade during the team’s tour of the West Indies before being formally included in the 2026-27 list.