Australia call-up set for maiden international tour, but it won’t curtail her involvement in NSW’s upcoming decider
Tahlia Wilson’s heart skipped a beat.
Flashing up on her phone was Shawn Flegler’s name, the Australian team’s head selector.
With the national side’s tour to the West Indies just around the corner, a squad announcement was imminent.
Flegler shared the news that Wilson’s name was among the 15 headed to the Caribbean. It would be her first international tour.
Wilson was delighted. But then her heart skipped a beat once again. Would this excellent news rule her out of the WNCL final?
“I answered the phone call,” Wilson told the Scoop Podcast, “And once ‘Flegs’ had told me that, ‘We’d like to take you to the West Indies’, his first thing after that was, ‘I’ve spoken to (NSW coach) Pete (Clarke), and you’ll be available for the WNCL final.”
Wilson will miss the three T20s in St Vincent while she hunts back-to-back titles for NSW before linking up with the Aussies for the three ODIs in St Kitts that follow.
A wicketkeeper-batter who has excelled as an opener for the Breakers in recent seasons, Wilson has become one of the most reliable with both bat and gloves on the domestic scene.
Her 667 runs during the 2024-25 campaign marked the third-most prolific individual season in the competition’s history, and a key reason why NSW were able to claim the title.
Since September 2024, no batter has more WNCL runs than Wilson’s 1,121.
The 26-year-old credits her 50-over dominance, which has also begun to show at WBBL level with the Sydney Thunder, to consistency and support from her coaches.
She was given the position of full-time opener for NSW at the beginning of the 2021-22 season.
“I’ve been lucky enough the last few years to be really backed (by the coaches) in my top order role at New South Wales and also in Big Bash as well,” Wilson said.
“To be able to go back up to the top of the order this year (for the Thunder) has made a big difference.
“And it’s just knowing that the game that I have is more than capable of being at the top of the order and also trying to be selected for higher honours as well.
“For me, (I’ve) been trying to keep it nice and simple.
“Go out there with lots of intent, take the bowling on in the Powerplay and try and build a big innings.”
Listen to the full interview with the newest member of the Australian squad, Tahlia Wilson, on the Scoop Podcast now.
WNCL Final
21 March: NSW v Queensland, Cricket Central, 10am AEDT
