Australian star Alana King says the redeveloped WACA Ground is ‘perfect venue’ for women’s internationals

Australian star Alana King has backed calls for the revamped WACA Ground to become a hub for women’s cricket and a stronghold for the national team. A Test between Australia and India in March will be the first international at the venue after its $170 million facelift is completed later this year. There has been a push from some of the country’s best players in recent seasons to hold more women’s matches at the ground because of its size, facilities and sporting wicket. Australia hosted England in a pink-ball Test at the MCG last summer and The West Australian understands officials had been keen to play there again, but the ground was unavailable in March due to the start of the football season. The women’s national team has leaned heavily on boutique venues like Brisbane’s Allan Border Field, North Sydney Oval and Melbourne’s Junction Oval. “I’d love to see an international women’s match scheduled there every year,” King told The West Australian. “I think it’s going to be the perfect venue for international cricket for the girls. “I know people sometimes say ‘Perth is so far away’, but they know once they get here what a special place it is and we know that the crowd comes. “(The Scorchers) have been leading the WBBL in crowd attendance for quite a few years now, so we know that the Perth people turn up, they love their cricket here, they love supporting women’s cricket. “I’m absolutely pumped we get another Test match at the WACA and given it’s a pink-ball as well it’s going to be something different in front of the brand-new WACA redevelopment, which I think everyone is so excited about it. “I love coming to play international cricket in Perth. It’s my home and I just love playing cricket here. It’s another great opportunity to play the long format over in Perth.” King touched down in Manchester this week for a stint with Lancashire both in the T20 Blast and in the one-day competition. The leg-spinner said she had initially knocked back approaches to play for the county, but reconsidered as part of her preparation for next year’s Twenty20 World Cup in the United Kingdom. “What a good opportunity to go and play more T20 cricket in conditions like that,” King said.