ICC Women's World Cup 2009 - Teams

Australia - Team Profile

Australia is the current number one team in the world, the reigning champions and will be highly fancied to take the ICC Women's World Cup on home soil in 2009.

Boasting an excellent combination of youth and experience, the side will be led by Karen Rolton who was part of Australia's team that won the Women's World Cup in 2005.

Lisa Sthalekar is regarded one of the leading all-rounders in the world and much will be expected of the right-handed batter, whose off spin bowling has a record of taking wickets at important times for her country.

Big things are also hoped for of Alex Blackwell, whose twin sister Kate narrowly missed out on selection for the squad, as well as slow left arm spinner Shelley Nitschke who topped the wicket taking charts at the Women's World Cup 2005.

Much media attention will focus on multi-talented Ellyse Perry, who has shown much promise both in football and cricket, and impressed fans with her massive straight six into the stands of the MCG in a Twenty20 game against England in February 2008.

Having tied the ODI series against England in early 2008, although it lost the only Test against its Ashes rivals, Australia recovered to record an excellent victory away from home in an ODI series against New Zealand.

And a 5-0 victory over India in late 2008 and Australia's achievement in retaining the Rose Bowl in February 2009 (the series finished 2-2) showed that it still has the talent to beat the very best in the world.

The side has also been boosted by a recent announcement that Cricket Australia will make a total annual contribution of up to $500,000 to squad members, to help allow extra time for practice and matches.