AN all-girls cricket competition is being added to the Bendigo District Cricket Association’s junior structure for this summer.
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Cricket Victoria regional cricket manager Ben DeAraugo and BDCA junior co-ordinator Tony Ryan said the plan was about creating more opportunities.
”Increasing female participation in cricket is a major priority for Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria,” DeAraugo said.
“It is great for girls in Bendigo to have the opportunity to play in this new competition.” DeAraugo said the all-girls matches would be played under Twenty20 Blast rules.
“It’s a fun, social and safe format which allows girls to develop skills and techniques and have equal participation in batting, bowling and fielding.”
Matches will be 16-over per innings in which pairs bat four-over stints.
Players have a limit of bowling two overs and keep wicket two overs.
Ryan said the all-girls matches would be played on Monday at Queen Elizabeth Oval between 5.30pm and 7pm.
Round one is on Monday, November 2.
“The plan is a six-week competition, with an option to have more matches after the Christmas-New Year break.”
Ryan said the amount of girls involved with T20 Blast and other age groups last summer showed cricket was gaining popularity.
“We had 28 girls play in T20 Blast and expect another rise this season.
”Participation and family involvement is crucial to cricket’s growth,” Ryan said.
“A lot of girls have probably thought about playing cricket but were not so keen about playing against the boys.”
Expressions of interest will be sought from Bendigo District and Emu Valley clubs about fielding girls teams.
School clinics will be run to promote the new competition and attract players.
DeAraugo said registation for the all-girls competition would be free for players and clubs through the Junior Female Development Grant run by Cricket Victoria.
Keen cricketers excited about the set-up of the competition include Bendigo clubmates Kate Douglass and Holly Ryan, Letesha Bawden from White Hills, and Mackenzie Nally from Strathdale-Maristians.
Kate Douglass has played cricket the past five seasons.
She said there was a lot to like about the game, especially batting and fielding.
“Flicking the ball back near the boundary is always exciting.”
For more details on the BDCA all-girls competition, contact your club or email bdca@impulse.net.au
DeAraugo said future recruits for the Southern Stars, the national women’s cricket team, or clubs in the Women’s Big Bash League could be unearthed from Bendigo in years to come.
