Claire McGuirk: Gunnedah cricketer named in Australian under-19 merit team

Davies commented after the 17-year-old top-order batter was selected in the Australian under-19 merit team following a strong performance at this month's under-19 national championships in Adelaide.

He said Cricket Australia was set to select a "watch list" of players ahead of the side being named for the World Cup, which will commence in South Africa on February 9.

Davies expects McGuirk to be on the watch list.

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"But we probably don't want to get too ahead of ourselves there," he said of her possible selection in the World Cup squad.

That squad, he added, would be selected based on a player's overall form.

At the nationals, McGuirk - whom Davies described as an attacking top-order batter who bowls part-time inswing medium pace - finished 9th on the batting standings after scoring 187 runs at an average of 31.17 and with a strike rate of 74.5 and highest score of 71 not out.

She had two half centuries in her seven innings, while she took six wickets at an average of 8.5 and economy rate of 5.77.

Davies said McGuirk did "extremely well" at the nationals.

"It's a great reward for a lot of hard work," he said of her selection in the Australian under-19 merit side. "Claire's dedication and attention to detail, in helping her game get better, has been exceptional.

"We've had to do it nearly on a remote basis the last few years because of Covid, and she's bought in to all those processes that I've implemented."

McGuirk's club side, Old Boys, described her selection in the merit team as an "amazing achievement".

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