Sport
26 September, 2022
Pushing to expand girls cricket
A GROUP of girls aged from five to 14 years converged at the Caboolture Cricket Club on Wednesday (September 21) to take part in the That’s My Game Colour Blast program.
The children had the chance to socialise as well as learn and practice cricket skills, both on the field and in the indoor nets.
The That’s My Game Colour Blast program is an initiative of the Brisbane Heat cricket franchise that provides a platform to bring new girls into the sport with the main aim of having them register for the upcoming season.
Queensland Cricket Area Manager (Central) Nicola Browne and newly appointed Cricket Manager (Sunshine Coast) Tayla Crane were in attendance, supporting the Caboolture Cricket Club to continue to build on the club’s growing number of female players.
Nicola said the Sunshine Coast Cricket Association (SCCA) has had senior women’s teams for several years, but that junior girls currently play with and against boys due to the limited number of girls playing the sport.
“Caboolture has an all girls U11 team, but they play against boys because there’s no other option,” she said.
“We’re trying to establish an all girls league.
“We want players to have the option, and have a full pathway.”
Isabelle Brennan, who is about to start her third year of playing cricket, has played for the Caboolture women’s seniors as well as in U15 boys teams.
Isabelle said she would like to have the chance to coach a junior girls team, if Caboolture again has the numbers to field a team.
Isabelle said it would be great to see someone playing state or international cricket in 10 or 15 years and for her to be able to say “I coached them”.
“Girls cricket is quite a new thing,” she said.
“I think it’s important to build them early so they can develop, play in rep sides, and maybe even play for Australia one day.”
Isabelle said she became interested in cricket after noticing her dad watching the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) on television, as she had never seen women’s sport on television before.
“I thought maybe I’ll give cricket a go,” she said.
Isabelle said she often attended WBBL games at Allan Border Field, and that she was focused on cricket in Caboolture for now, as a player and possibly as a coach.
Anyone interested in finding out more about the girls league can visit https://sunshinecoastcricket.com.au/ junior-girls-cricket-league/
