Ainsworth, Hamilton earn Australia central contracts

Chloe Ainsworth, the uncapped Western Australia and Perth Scorchers allrounder, has been handed a Cricket Australia contract alongside left-armer Lucy Hamilton, who made her debut across all three formats during March.

Ainsworth and Hamilton are part of an 18-player contracts list for the 2026-27 season, which also includes allrounder Nicola Carey. Carey previously declined a deal in 2023 but was recalled earlier this year to face India. She was also part of the recent tour of West Indies.

Alyssa Healy (retired), Tayla Vlaeminck and Tess Flintoff are not retained from last year’s group.

It has been a rapid rise for Hamilton, who was always likely to earn a contract, having impressed in her handful of appearances against India and West Indies. However, 20-year-old Ainsworth is a notable inclusion having not yet featured in a senior squad.

In the WNCL this season for WA, it was her batting that stood – she made 194 runs at 97.00, including a maiden century. On the other hand, she only claimed three wickets in seven matches. In the WBBL for Scorchers, she claimed 13 wickets at 28.76 with an economy rate of 7.33, with her overall tally being 40 wickets from just three seasons.

However, while Hamilton stands a good chance of being part of the T20 World Cup squad that will be named next month, Ainsworth’s elevation is viewed as a longer-term project. She is currently recovering from a foot injury, which means she wasn’t in contension for the Green vs Gold match in Sydney this week.

“I think it’s really important that she continues to work on her body and get that right and get ready for international cricket,” Shawn Flegler, the national selector, said. “It’s very different playing domestic cricket and playing a couple of games and then having a break for a couple of weeks … and then going again, as opposed to being on tour for six or seven weeks and having to back up and play and train that whole time. So we don’t think she’s quite there yet, but this is an investment in her into the future as well.”

On Hamilton, Flegler said: “I think she’s taken to international cricket like a duck to water, to be honest. She looks pretty calm and composed out there and her game’s in pretty good shape for it.”

The loss of Vlaeminck’s contract was confirmed on the day she returned to competitive cricket for the first time since October 2024, taking an early wicket in the Green vs Gold game. Flegler said that if she could put together an injury-free run would be firmly back in contention.

“A really tough one with Tay and it was great to see her get a wicket this morning,” Flegler said. “She’s obviously been injured for a few years now and we’ve kept her on contract. We just came to the point where we thought it was better off just for her to go back and play some state cricket and WBBL.

“We’ve had some really good chats with her over the last couple of years, but even just as recently as last night, just making sure that she’s still got the full support of us.

“Once she’s back playing a lot more, so obviously the three-day game was the start of it, but she was looking to try and get some off-season games as well – overseas – if she could, and then hopefully she gets back into a full season of cricket. But when she’s back playing, she’s going to be available for selection, no doubt.”

Carey, meanwhile, had earned an upgrade deal during her run of nine matches against India and West Indies, where it was her batting that provided the most significant impact including an ODI career-best 49 in St Kitts.

Grace Harris, who was omitted from the tour of West Indies, has retained her contract, and so has allrounder Heather Graham.

The only player to appear for Australia in the last 12 months not to find a spot on the list was wicketkeeper Tahlia Wilson, who made her ODI debut in West Indies last month.

The period covered by the new contracts list includes the T20 World Cup in England, home white-ball series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, an away trip to Sri Lanka, and a tour of South Africa. The latter will include a Test match next year.

Players not awarded contracts as part of the initial squad can earn upgrades throughout the year by accruing 12 points. Players receive five points for a Test match, two for an ODI and two for a T20I.

Australia women’s contracts 2026-27
Chloe Ainsworth, Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
In Chloe Ainsworth, Nicola Carey, Lucy Hamilton
Out Alyssa Healy, Tayla Vlaeminck, Tess Flintoff*
*Based on initial 2025-26 list