News
Megan Schutt has confirmed the T20 World Cup in England will be her last taste of global tournament cricket, signalling an impending end to more than a decade of service with the new ball for Australia.
The 33-year-old quick, who debuted in 2012 and still swings it prodigiously into the right-hander, says the time feels right to make room for fresh faces, even if the competitive juices are as strong as ever.
“S* yeah, big time,” she said when asked if unfinished business remained after semi-final exits at the previous two World Cups. “Hungry is one word and for me it’s revenge, or spite … it’s definitely one I want to go and win.”
That blunt desire to set the record straight sits alongside a pragmatic view of her own career arc. “I’m not much of a planner; I like to go with the flow,” Schutt admitted. “But with how often World Cups are, and everything in between, there’s always a carrot that gets dangled and eventually you have to make a decision.”
Across 240 internationals Schutt has collected 309 wickets – a substantial haul built on accuracy rather than express pace – and was player of the 2013 50-over event after claiming 15 scalps. Yet she is adamant personal milestones will not dictate when she finally walks away.
“I don’t see myself getting to another ICC tournament, that’s for sure. I’ve had my time and it’s about letting that next generation take over,” she said. “I don’t want to be that person that stays longer than I should and drag the team down without realising. I like to think I’m pretty self aware; I can physically keep up but there are people coming through capable of doing what I do.”
One of those newcomers is left-armer Lucy Hamilton, rewarded with a first-time call-up after an eye-catching domestic season. Such depth meant there was no space for Darcie Brown in the 15-player squad. Former Australia seamer Kristen Beams believes the decision underlines the selectors’ confidence in Hamilton’s variation. “She’s a point-of-difference bowler who can swing it late; that’s invaluable in English conditions,” Beams told local radio.
Preparation has already begun. The squad gathered in Brisbane earlier this month before flying out for three practice matches against South Africa, starting Sunday. Further warm-ups versus England and West Indies follow in Cardiff prior to the opening fixture against South Africa in Manchester on 13 June.
Schutt admits the countdown is both exciting and sobering. “As competitive as I am, the last two have stung and, after being part of a lot of success, it stings even more,” she reflected. “But then you think of the kids that haven’t won a World Cup; it’s a good reminder I’ve been lucky and want to restart that with the next generation.”
For now, the new-ball duties remain hers. Come mid-July, she hopes they belong to a world champion in waiting.
