Wheel turns to put McGrath back at the top of the women’s game
THERE was a time – not long ago – when South Australian allrounder Tahlia McGrath thought she would never have the chance to wear the Aussie green and gold again.
The baggy green she wore in an Ashes Test in November 2017 was gathering dust, her international stats sheet blank since that game.
A recurring back injury followed by a lack of conviction at the crease meant she struggled.
McGrath made her international debut at 20 in 2016 against South Africa, going on to play in the Ashes against England in 2017, playing four matches including the first day-night Women’s Test at North Sydney Oval.
Then it all seemed over.
But her international career was far from done.
“The last five or so years have been a serious journey, lots of highs, lots of lows, and I found myself in and out of the Aussie side,” the 25-year-old said.
“Getting that initial taste back in 2017 really gave me that hunger that this is the level I want to be playing at, this is what I want to get back to.
“From there, it’s been putting in the hard work behind the scenes.”
In 2020, after a run in the English Kia Super League, a solid domestic showing and allrounder Ellyse Perry sidelined with a hamstring injury, McGrath earned her first Cricket Australia contract.
She toured New Zealand early this year, but did not play. Then came the Australia-India series.
As the Aussies won the series 11-5, McGrath taking four wickets, but it was at the crease where she got into a happy groove.
She hit a combined 235 runs from five innings, her highest score coming in the second one-day international, where she hit 74 off 77 balls.
She played all seven games, was named player of the match twice and then player of the series.
McGrath said fighting her way back has come after hard work and implementing a simpler mindset, working with her SA Scorpions’ mindset coach and the national sports psychologist.
Now, she heads into the Women’s Big Bash League season as a mustwatch players, suiting up for her seventh season with Adelaide Strikers.