Tayla Vlaeminck has celebrated her return to international cricket with a wicket with her fourth ball, as Australia thrashed Bangladesh in their series-opening Twenty20
Playing her first game for Australia since January 2022, Vlaeminck beat Sobhana Mostary with her speed to clean up the right-hander’s stumps.
The Victorian quick finished with 1-30 as Australia kept Bangladesh to 4-126, before chasing the target down without loss and with seven overs to spare.
Vlaeminck, the fastest female bowler in the country, suffered two anterior cruciate ligament ruptures and a shoulder dislocation before her 21st birthday.
That came before her most recent extended break, when stress fractures in her foot and a shoulder dislocation required more than two years of recovery.
The 25-year-old admitted before the Bangladesh tour that she at one stage privately questioned why officials had kept faith in her.
But on Sunday afternoon, she provided another reminder of why.
The right-armer managed to bowl with speed in her first match on the sub-continent, piercing through Mostary’s defences as the number three attempted to play back.
Vlaeminck’s return helped push her case for selection for the World Cup later this year, also in Bangladesh.
Fellow Victorian Sophie Molineux also did her case no harm.
After a ruptured ACL destroyed her 2023, the spinner had Dilara Akter caught with the first ball of the match.
She also bowled Fahima Khatun in the final over of the innings, finishing with 2-25.
Legspinner Georgia Wareham also impressed with 1-18 from four overs.
In reply, Alyssa Healy (65no from 42 balls) and Beth Mooney (55no from 36 balls) made light work of the chase.
Healy smashed nine fours and a six in a dominant innings, raising 50 in 34 balls.
Mooney also hit nine boundaries in her knock as she too brought up a 34-ball 50, with the pair taking Australia to their fourth 10-wicket win in T20 history.
AAP