Meg Lanning back for Victoria as Australia captain ramps up preparation for international return

Lanning hasn't played since Australia won gold at the Commonwealth Games, sitting out The Hundred, the Women's Big Bash and the national side's recent tour of India

Nick Friend | 04/01/2023 at 16:44

Meg Lanning will return to action for the first time since taking an indefinite break from the game after she was named in Victoria's WNCL squad for two matches against New South Wales.

Lanning hasn't played since Australia won gold at the Commonwealth Games, sitting out The Hundred (she was due to represent Trent Rockets), the Women's Big Bash and the national side's recent tour of India.

But she has already been picked in Australia's squad to face Pakistan later this month, with her appearances for Victoria on January 5 and January 7 part of her preparation ahead of a return to international cricket, where she will take back the captaincy.

"After a busy couple of years, I've made the decision to take a step back to enable me to spend some time focusing on myself," Lanning wrote back in August. "I'm grateful for the support of Cricket Australia and my teammates and ask that my privacy is respected during this time."

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^{Georgia Wareham is back in action after missing a year with an ACL injury (Graham Denholm/Getty Images)}

Announcing her return to the side, national selector, Shawn Flegler, said: "Meg brings so much to the side both on and off the field, and it's pleasing to welcome her back at such an important time with the T20 World Cup just over a month away."

Australia leg-spinner Georgia Wareham is also back after a long spell away. She has been named in Victoria's squad to end a yearlong absence caused by an ACL injury that has kept her out since October 2021.

"It's going to be fantastic to have both Meg and Georgia back on the field for Victoria, especially against NSW in a match that will have a so much international experience," said Sharelle McMahon, Cricket Victoria's head of female cricket.