Shelley Nitschke

Shelley Nitschke (born 3 December 1976) is an Australian former cricketer who played for South Australia and Australia. A left-handed batter and left arm orthodox spinner, she was one of the leading all-rounders in the world until her retirement in 2011. In May 2022 Nitschke became the interim head coach of the Australian women's team and was appointed full-time on a four-year contract in September 2022.

Nitschke made her senior debut in the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL) for South Australia at the relatively old age of 24 in 2000–01. She started her career as a specialist batter and had little effect in her first two seasons, scoring 191 runs at 12.73. Having only taken one wicket to this point, she began bowling regularly and took 13 at 25.38 over the next two seasons and scored 326 runs at 27.16.

During the 2004–05 WNCL season, Nitschke scored 144 runs at 36.00 and took ten wickets at 17.50 and was rewarded with selection in the Australian team for a One Day International (ODI) series in India. She did not have a successful initiation to international cricket and was in and out of the team, ending her debut series with 10 runs and a total of 1/99. Playing as a specialist bowler and batting in the lower-order, Nitschke was retained for the 2005 World Cup in South Africa. After being overlooked for the first two matches, she played in the remaining matches and took 11 wickets at 8.27 to establish herself as an international bowler. She claimed 2/14 in the final as Australia defeated India to win the World Cup without defeat. She only batted once because Australia's strong line-up was rarely threatened, scoring one run.

Nitschke made her Test debut in the subsequent tour of England, and showed her batting ability at international level, scoring 81 and 88 in the two Tests. She then took a record 7/24 in an ODI at Kidderminster. She returned home for the 2005–06 WNCL, scoring 287 runs and taking nine wickets and was retained for the home series against India and New Zealand, again used in the lower order. At the end of the 2006–07 season, the Australians played in a quadrangular tournament in Chennai and Nitschke batted in the upper-order for the first time, making 200 runs at 28.57 and top-scoring with 81, hermaiden ODI half-century, as Australia defeated New Zealand in the final. Since then, Nitschke has batted in the upper-order. During the 2007–08 season, Nitschke made three ODI half-centuries. At the start of the 2008–09 season, Nitschke struck 94 in a seven-wicket win over India, a new highest ODI score.

During the 2009 World Cup, Nitschke made 275 runs at 39.28 and took seven wickets at 28.14 at an economy rate of 3.45. Her best performance was an 87 and 3/43 in a group match against South Africa as Australia eventually came fourth after losing the third-place playoff to India.

In the inaugural Women's World Twenty20 in England in 2009, Nitschke made 130 runs at 32.50 and took five wickets at 17.80 at an economy rate of 5.56 as Australia were eliminated in the semi-finals by the hosts.

Having ended in the nineties on three previous occasions in the WNCL, Nitschke broke through for her maiden century, making two for the season and ending the competition with 486 runs. In the subsequent Rose Bowl series, she made her maiden international century, 113 not out in Invercargill, ending the eight ODIs with 343 runs at 57.16 and 12 wickets at 13.25.

Nitschke won the Belinda Clark Award in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

In the South Australian Cricket Association Women's Grade competition Nitschke played for Sturt District Cricket Club.

In July 2011, she announced her retirement from international cricket.

Domestic debut

Nitschke made her debut for South Australia at the relatively old age of 24, playing in all of her state's eight matches in the 2000–01 Women's National Cricket League (WNCL). In her debut match against reigning champions New South Wales, Nitschke made a solitary run before being run out as South Australia lost by seven wickets. At this stage of her career, Nitschke was effectively a specialist batter, and she took her only wicket of the season on the following day, taking 1/9 from three overs—the only time she bowled during the season—and scoring five as New South Wales won again.

The following season, Nitschke did not bowl at all, and scored 112 runs at 16.00 with a top-score of 27 against Western Australia. South Australia won four of their eight matches and did not reach the final. Nitschke's debut ODI series was not a success; she ended with 10 runs at 5.00 with a strike rate of 24.39 and a solitary wicket at 99.00 at an economy rate of 4.71, a high figure for women's cricket.

After the difficult initiation to international cricket, Nitschke returned to Australia for the resumption of the WNCL. She took 4/37 and 2/13 in her first two matches back, helping South Australia to successive victories over Western Australia. She followed this with 33 and 3/19 against Victoria, but was not able to prevent a 12-run defeat. Nitschke ended the season with 144 runs at 36.00 and 10 wickets at 17.50 at an economy rate of 3.43. Nitschke was listed to bat at No. 10 as the visitors won the toss and batted first. However, she was soon in action as Australia collapsed to be 8/191 on the first day. Joining fellow bowler Julie Hayes at the crease, Nitschke helped take the score to 236 before her partner was out for 57. Last batter Clea Smith came in and helped Nitschke to add 92 before Australia reached stumps at 9/328 with Nitschke on 70 not out. The next morning, they added a further 27 before Smith was out for 42, ending a rapid final-wicket partnership of 119 from only 101 minutes. The last two wickets put on 164 runs in 159 minutes and Nitschke ended on 81 not out with 13 fours and a six, the top-score of the innings, from 144 balls. and took 1/30, removing Arran Brindle as England took a 158-run first innings lead. Australia was facing an innings win when they fell to be 4/18 and 7/67 when Nitschke came in to join Kate Blackwell during the third day. The pair saw Australia to 7/179 by the end of the third and penultimate day with Nitschke unbeaten on 60. However, Australia's chances of saving the match was struck a blow at the start of the final day when Blackwell was out for 72 without further addition to the score and Julia Price was out for a first-ball duck. Nitschke and Emma Liddell then put on 53 to take the score to 232 before Liddell was out for 24. Nitschke top-scored with 88 not out from 231 balls from a long innings of four and a half hours. Nitschke played in all three matches as Australia swept the ODIs. She had a small workload, making six runs in her only innings and totalling 0/30 from 12 overs. She then took 2/27 from 24.4 overs, removing Lydia Greenway and Isa Guha as England ended on 244 all out with a 90-run lead. She contributed 36 of the hosts' second innings of 9/231 declared. After coming in at 3/34 with Australia still 56 runs in arrears, Nitschke consolidated the innings with Sthalekar, compiling a partnership of 107 runs in 43.2 overs. Nitschke was eventually out after a 122-ball, 159-minute stay at the crease.

Nitschke made 37 of Australia's 5/163, and was economical in taking 0/22 from four overs, but most of her colleagues were attacked by the local batters, who overhauled Australia's score to reach the final, which they won. Nitschke ended the tournament with 130 runs at 32.50 and five wickets at 17.80 at an economy rate of 5.56. before taking 1/46 from 19 overs, dismissing Sarah Taylor to help Australia take a 41-run lead. She then made 25, putting on a stand of 49 for the first wicket with Blackwell as Australia set the hosts a target of 273 before the match was drawn.

In the first warm-up match against New Zealand, which Australia lost by 18 runs, Nitschke had a hand in three dismissals. She took 1/20 from her four overs, removing Sara McGlashan before running out Sophie Devine and catching Elizabeth Perry. She then made 31 from 29 balls, hitting two sixes.

In the next match against South Africa, Nitschke was prominent with both bat and ball as Australia batted first. After Villani was out in the first over, Nitschke and new batsman Poulton counter-attacked. They brought up Australia's 50 in 33 balls, scoring 41 from 27 balls. Poulton was out for 39 after a stand of 58 runs in 37 balls, and Nitschke was eventually out for the top-score of 44 from 32 balls, including seven fours. This left the score at 3/101 after 11.2 overs, but Australia were unable to capitalise, and were bowled out for 155 in the last over after losing 6/16.

Coaching career Following the appointment of Matthew Mott as England men's limited overs coach, in May 2022 Nitschke became the interim head coach of the Australia women's national cricket team.

In September 2022, she was appointed as the full-time head coach of the Australia women's cricket team.

Awards ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year – 2010 Belinda Clark Award – 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012