WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup: Australia roster mixes seven Olympians, young talent for Group Stage
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Team Captain Clare Warwick (pictured above) leads an Australia roster for the <a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2023-xvii-womens-softball-world-cup-group-a/home"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage</span></strong></a> that features a blend of youth and experience, with support from Vice-Captain Belinda White and five other Tokyo 2020 Olympians. </p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>“It’s the first time the <em>Aussie Spirit</em> 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.”</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->
<!-- wp:html -->
<iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FSoftballOz%2Fposts%2F607456344745045&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="516" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe>
<!-- /wp:html -->
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p><a href="https://rankings.wbsc.org/en/list/softball/women"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">World No. 9 Australia</span></strong></a> 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. </p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->
<!-- wp:heading {"level":4} -->
<h4>Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage Australia’s roster:</h4>
<!-- /wp:heading -->
<!-- wp:list -->
<ul><li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2019-u19-womens-softball-world-cup/teams/1555/players/24971" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Pippa Adkins</a></span></strong></li><li>Hayley Bonython</li><li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2022-world-games-womens-softball/teams/20436/players/93870" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Georgia Hood</a></span></strong></li><li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2022-world-games-womens-softball/teams/20436/players/93871" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Shannon Keevers</a></span></strong></li><li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2022-world-games-womens-softball/teams/20436/players/161698" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Olivia Kuzminski</a></span></strong></li><li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2022-world-games-womens-softball/teams/20436/players/157863" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Kandra Lamb</a></span></strong></li><li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2021-softball-olympic-games/teams/1793/players/74905" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Stacey McManus</a></span></strong></li><li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2021-softball-olympic-games/teams/1793/players/74915" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Kaia Parnaby</a></span></strong></li><li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2021-softball-olympic-games/teams/1793/players/74909" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Ellen Roberts</a></span></strong></li><li>Kylie Steemers</li><li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2021-softball-olympic-games/teams/1793/players/74914" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Taylah Tsitsikronis</a></span></strong></li><li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2021-softball-olympic-games/teams/1793/players/74913" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Jade Wall</a></span></strong></li><li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2021-softball-olympic-games/teams/1793/players/74910" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Clare Warwick</a> (C)</span></strong></li><li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2021-softball-olympic-games/teams/1793/players/74911" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Belinda White</a> (VC)</span></strong></li><li><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2022-world-games-womens-softball/teams/20436/players/159398" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">Tamieka Whitefield</a></span></strong></li><li>Grace Wrixon</li></ul>
<!-- /wp:list -->
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>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 <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2021-softball-olympic-games/home" target="_blank">Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games</a></span></strong> softball competition.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>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 <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2022-world-games-womens-softball/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The World Games 2022 (opens in a new tab)">The World Games 2022</a></span></strong> in Birmingham.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>The roster includes three debutants in the senior team: Pippa Adkins, Hayley Bonython, and Grace Wrixon. Adkins played for Australia in the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="U-19 Women’s Softball World Cup 2019 (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2019-u19-womens-softball-world-cup/home" target="_blank">U-19 Women’s Softball World Cup 2019</a></span></strong> in Irvine, California, USA.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->
<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Softball Australia also named an <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Australia ‘A’ (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.softball.org.au/news/aussie-spirit-and-australia-a-team-announcements/?fbclid=IwAR1BAQs6Kc9s6CALKoBQBhO-8miQRoMcfex2ZSpmR0vMpVaEAsDoTWQ1Faw" target="_blank">Australia ‘A’</a></span></strong> team that will join the U-19 and U-17 teams at the Canada Cup Invitational Softball Championship.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->