Australia will travel to the ODI World Cup without Grace Harris after the power-hitting all-rounder strained her left calf during the final one-dayer against India in Delhi on Saturday. Western Australia’s Heather Graham, 28, has been added to the 15-strong squad.
Harris, 31, pulled up while chasing the ball in the deep midway through India’s innings. Scans taken on Sunday confirmed a grade-two strain, and medical staff advised a minimum three-week lay-off – too tight a turnaround with Australia due to open their title defence in Dunedin on 6 October.
Selector Shawn Flegler summed up the situation in a brief statement: “It’s a tough blow for Grace. She gives us so much flexibility with bat and ball, but the timelines just didn’t stack up.”
Graham has featured only once in ODI cricket – against Sri Lanka in Brisbane back in 2019 – yet she has remained on the fringes of national selection, touring regularly as cover for both seamers and middle-order hitters. Captain Alyssa Healy said, “Heather knows our systems inside out. She’ll slot in quickly, which is exactly what you want this close to a World Cup.”
Australia’s medical bulletin has been busier than usual. All-rounder Annabel Sutherland missed the Delhi fixture with hip soreness, opener Phoebe Litchfield sat out two matches because of a tight quad, and quick Darcie Brown has been nursing back spasms. Spinner Sophie Molineux is still working back from a ruptured ACL, while leg-spinner Georgia Wareham only just returned after a groin strain.
In such circumstances Harris had been earmarked as a useful, low-risk option down the order and a handful of overs if required. Her absence reduces Australia’s late-innings firepower but Graham offers a steadier seam-bowling alternative and has a reputation for clutch performances in domestic finals.
Coach Shelley Nitschke accepted the mixed news with typical calm. “You never like losing players, yet injuries happen,” she said. “We’ve prepared the wider group for exactly this scenario.”
Australia depart for New Zealand on Wednesday, with a warm-up fixture against Pakistan scheduled in Christchurch before the tournament proper begins.
