WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup: Australia roster mixes seven Olympians, young talent for Group Stage

Team Captain Clare Warwick (pictured above) leads an Australia roster for the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage that features a blend of youth and experience, with support from Vice-Captain Belinda White and five other Tokyo 2020 Olympians. 

“It’s the first time the Aussie Spirit has been involved in the WBSC ‘s new world cup format and it gives us a great opportunity to play world class opponents two-years in a row,” said Australia Head Coach, Laing Harrow. “USA and Chinese Taipei are opponents we know will be tough and you never know what challenges unknown opponents like Great Britain, Ireland and Botswana could bring. We will have to be at our best to finish top two and qualify for the World Cup Finals next year.”

World No. 9 Australia will open the tournament in Group A, set to be staged in Fingal-Dublin, Ireland, from 11-16 July. The Aussie Spirit will play the very first game of the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup against Great Britain on 11 July, at 11 am local time. They will meet Ireland on Day 2 (12:20); followed by a double-header against Botswana (10:00) and USA (15:00) on 13 July. Australia will take on Chinese Taipei (10:00) on 14 July to close the Opening Round. 

Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage Australia’s roster:

• Pippa Adkins
• Hayley Bonython
• Georgia Hood
• Shannon Keevers
• Olivia Kuzminski
• Kandra Lamb
• Stacey McManus
• Kaia Parnaby
• Ellen Roberts
• Kylie Steemers
• Taylah Tsitsikronis
• Jade Wall
• Clare Warwick (C)
• Belinda White (VC)
• Tamieka Whitefield
• Grace Wrixon

McManus, Parnaby, Roberts, Tsitsikronis, Wall, Warwick and White are the seven Olympians to represent Australia in the group stage of the World Cup. Australia finished fifth in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games softball competition.

In addition, 11 veterans of Australia’s 2022 team will be back wearing gold and green. Hood, Keevers, Kuzminski, Lamb, Mc Manus, Roberts, Tsitsikronis, Wall, Warwick, White and Whitefield helped their team to a fourth-place finish at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham.

The roster includes three debutants in the senior team: Pippa Adkins, Hayley Bonython, and Grace Wrixon. Adkins played for Australia in the U-19 Women’s Softball World Cup 2019 in Irvine, California, USA.

Softball Australia also named an Australia ‘A’ team that will join the U-19 and U-17 teams at the Canada Cup Invitational Softball Championship.