Fresh, fit and ready to fire - Tayla Vlaeminck is pumped up for her return to international cricket.
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The Bendigo cricket product will play for the first time in almost six months when Australia hosts India in a seven-match tour, starting next Tuesday in Mackay with the first of three one-day internationals.
The highlight of the series is a day/night Test match at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast from September 30 to October 3.
Speaking to the Bendigo Advertiser during the closing stages of her 14-day hotel quarantine in Brisbane, Vlaeminck said excitement was building in the playing group.
"Test cricket doesn't come around very often, so everyone gets that extra pep in their step in the lead-up,'' Vlaeminck said.
"This time around we get to play under lights with a pink ball which is exciting.
"I've got a brand new pink ball with me that I've been throwing around the hotel room.
"I'm looking forward to getting the chance to use it properly.
"The fact this Test match is against a country other than England is exciting as well."
Vlaeminck, who made her Test debut in the Ashes Test against England two years ago, has had a long and steady build-up to the Indian series.
The last time she played was Australia's tour of New Zealand in March and April.
"We were lucky that we had an exemption to train during lockdown in Melbourne,'' Vlaeminck said.
"We were still able to go to the Junction Oval everyday and train as a team.
"We had a really long pre-season, so everyone is ready to go.
"The two-week quarantine is a bit like a two-week freshen up. We'll have plenty of time when we get out to prepare for the series.
"That series in New Zealand feels like it was a year ago. It's been a very long pre-season, so I'm really looking forward to getting back into some games in sunny Queensland."
Vlaeminck's injury concerns in recent years have been well-documented, so the 22-year-old will take a cautious approach when full training resumes.
"There's a few things that I always need to manage... but I'm very keen to get back into it,'' she said.
"I feel as though I've prepared myself really well during a long pre-season, but pre-season is never as enjoyable as getting out there and playing games."
With Australia's number one swing bowler Megan Schutt not playing against India the competition to take the new ball in her place will be fierce.
Ellyse Perry and Vlaeminck have a new wave of young pace bowlers in Darcie Brown and Stella Campbell nipping at their heels.
"It's always good to have competition because it makes you train a little bit harder and makes you want to take your opportunity when you get it,'' Vlaeminck said.
"I'm sure the nets will be as competitive as they normally are and there'll be a few bouncers being bowled. I'm looking forward to it."
India is one of the most improved nations in women's cricket in recent years and Vlaeminck expects a hard-fought series.
"India have come off a really good series against England and we saw what they could do in the tri-series against us a couple of years ago,'' Vlaeminck said.
"It's going to be a really good series and India has a lot of good young players.
"We're going to have to be on our game."
A 14-day quarantine period is not an ideal preparation, but Vlaeminck tried to make the most of it.
"We're very lucky to get the opportunity to come up here and play, so we can't complain about it,'' she said.
"We have a morning quiz on zoom, that takes up about an hour, then some training in our rooms and then lunch rolls around.
"Then you have to fill in the gap until the next lot of meals. I've been doing some study and a fair bit of Netflix. I've started watching Clickbait and that seems pretty good.
"I have a spin bike and some weights and we've been getting creative in coming up with some programs to do.
"I've been bowling into mattresses to make it as easy as I can for when we get back into full training.
"I've done more batting in my hotel room than I have at training in the last few months,'' Vlaeminck added with a chuckle.
"My bat is sitting in the corner next to my stash of food and I drag it out every now and then to play a few cover drives."
Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Maitlan Brown, Stella Campbell, Nicola Carey, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Redmayne, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham.
SCHEDULE
Sep 21: First ODI, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay
Sep 24: Second ODI, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay (D/N)
Sep 26: Third ODI, Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay
Sep 30-Oct 3: Test match, Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast (D/N)
Oct 7: First T20, Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast
Oct 9: Second T20, Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast
Oct 10: Third T20, Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast
Read more: All smiles for Vlaeminck
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