Tayla Vlaeminck will represent Australia on foreign soil for the first time after she was selected in the national under-19 women's cricket squad to tour South Africa.
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The Bendigo teenager is one of four Victorians in the 14-player squad that will play against the South African and English female youth academies in a tri-series, starting on April 12.
"It's a pretty amazing opportunity,'' an elated Vlaeminck said on Thursday.
"It's a good chance for me to test my skills outside of Australia."
After missing the Women's Big Bash League season because of a shoulder injury, the Bendigo teenager is back to full fitness and ready to take on the best young players from South Africa and England.
"I've worked really hard on my rehab and strengthening my shoulder,'' Vlaeminck said.
"In a month or so when the tour starts I'll be ready to go.
"I still have training with the VicSpirit for the next couple of weeks and then I'll keep training in the lead up to the tour.
"Three days before we go to South Africa the whole squad gets together for two days of training in Brisbane."
Cricket has become a year-round pursuit for Vlaeminck, who juggles sport with phsyiotherapy studies at LaTrobe University in Bundoora.
The South African tour takes out one month of her off-season with the VicSpirit squad.
"We have close to two months off with the VicSpirit where you keep up your fitness, but you don’t have to do compulsory cricket sessions,’’ she said.
“I like that cricket goes all-year round. I’d get bored without it.”
Vlaeminck and her Australian team-mates will play at least four one-day matches and two T20 games on the South African tour.
"South Africa and England have a lot of good players so it's going to be a good test for us,'' Vlaeminck said.
South African tour dates:
April 12 - England Women Academy v Australia Under-19's, Johannesburg (50-overs).
April 14 - South Africa Emerging Women v Australia Under-19's, Pretoria (50-overs).
April 18 - Australia Under-19's v England Women Academy, Johannesburg (50-overs).
April 20 - South Africa Emerging Women v Australia Under-19's, Pretoria (50-overs).
April 24 - England Women Academy v Australia Under-19's, Pretoria (T20).
April 26 - Australia Under-19's v England Women Academy, Johannesburg (T20).
April 29 - Final, Pretoria (50-overs).
Australian under-19 squad: Stella Campbell, Maddy Darke, Hannah Darlington, Josephine Dooley, Ellen Falconer, Nicole Faltum, Saskia Horley, Hayley Silver-Holmes, Annabel Sutherland, Rachel Trenaman, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham, Courtney Webb, Tahlia Wilson.
