Five DEC Spirit players selected for Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars Squad and new broadcasting deals locked in for 2010/11.

The Cricket Australia Women's National Selection Panel (WNSP) today named five DEC Spirit players in the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars squad of 14 for this summer of cricket. Spirit captain Rachael Haynes, batters Sarah Elliott, Jess Cameron and Meg Lanning along with pace bowler Julie Hunter have all been listed to tour New Zealand in late December and also take part in the Women's Ashes series at home against England in January. The Australian squad that won the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 title remains relatively unchanged apart from the inclusions of Lanning and Sarah Coyte from NSW. "Both Meg and Sarah have been performing well in domestic cricket and fully deserve their opportunity in the Australian team for the coming summer," said WNSP Chair, Christina Matthews. "Meg is a talented young top-order batter who has started the domestic season well and we look forward to seeing how she goes in national colours if the opportunity presents," she said. Lanning, who has just come off a fabulous knock of 197 not-out in club cricket, will be eager to bring something special to the Stars' table. Cameron, Haynes and Elliott have also been in consistent form throughout the year, whilst Hunter who is returning from a shoulder operation, will be looking to make an impression in the WNCL and Cricket Australia Cup to prove her fitness and form. The squad announcement comes as Cricket Australia confirms agreements with the Nine Network, Fox Sports and the ABC to commit to the broadcasting of more women's matches. The Southern Stars T20 matches against England will be jointly broadcast by Channel Nine and the ABC, with the T20 Interstate Women's final to be covered by Fox Sports. "We have gone from having three hours of coverage last year to more than 15-hours of live action in 2010/11," said Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland. "To have Channel Nine and the ABC broadcasting more live women's cricket than ever before will be outstanding for the promotion of the sport," he said. Squad and Fixtures: The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars squad is: Alex Blackwell (c) NSW Shelley Nitschke (vc) SA Jessica Cameron VIC Sarah Coyte NSW Sarah Elliott VIC Rene Farrell WA Rachael Haynes VIC Alyssa Healy NSW Julie Hunter** VIC Meg Lanning VIC Erin Osborne NSW Ellyse Perry NSW Leah Poulton NSW Lisa Sthalekar NSW **Subject to fitness Tour to New Zealand Twenty20 Internationals 28 December Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars v New Zealand Seddon Park 30 December Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars v New Zealand Saxton Field Women's International Series v England One-day Internationals 5 January 2011 Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars v England WACA (10am) 7 January Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars v England WACA (2:30pm) 9 January Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars v England WACA (10am) Twenty20 Internationals 12 January Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars v England Adelaide Oval** (2:05pm) 14 January Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars v England MCG** (2:35pm) 16 January Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars v England Manuka+ (12:05pm) 17 January Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars v England Manuka+ (3:05pm) 18 January Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars v England Manuka+ (3:05pm) **Double-header Twenty20 with men's KFC Twenty20 International, broadcast live on Nine + Broadcast live on ABC Ashes Test 22

30 NOVEMBER, 2010