Sophie Molineux shot to national prominence when she bumped pop idol Katy Perry off centre stage in 2020. That she had the cheek to pull off such a stunt helps explain her ascension to the top job in Australian cricket. It was not until a call just before Christmas from Cricket Australia’s head of women’s cricket, Shawn Flegler, that the leadership seed was planted. New Australian captain Sophie Molineux. Molineux was on Thursday unveiled as a surprise successor to Alyssa Healy as the all-format captain of the national women’s team, pipping superstar all-rounder Ash Gardner and vice captain Tahlia McGrath in what CA described as a “tight decision”.