The city is hosting the Festival of Female Cricket at the Queen Elizabeth Oval on January 8, as part of the 2015 Australian Country Cricket Championships.

It includes a MILO in2CRICKET skills clinic for girls aged four to eight from 10am, and a T20 Blast match for ages nine to 12 at 11am.

Girls of any ability are welcome to take part, whether they have played cricket previously or not.

The activities will be followed by a showcase of the pathway opportunities available for talented players.

A voluntary training session will be held at noon for Northern Rivers regional female representative squads, including girls from 13-18.

And at 1pm, the Melbourne Ladies Renegades will go head-to-head with the Melbourne Ladies Stars in a T20 exhibition match.

“We want to raise the awareness of female cricket and show the girls it is not just a sport for boys,” festival co-ordinator Leah Morrison said. 

“The day will demonstrate the different types of the game available and pathways to high-level female cricket, which starts right back at the MILO program.”

Participants should arrive 20 minutes before their age group’s activity to register and receive a pink MILO in2CRICKET shirt, until stocks run out. 

Prizes will also be given away at the ladies’ game and the school with the most registrations will win a signed Vic Spirit and Victorian Bushrangers cricket bat.

For more details, contact Di Day on 0427 314 389.