Geelong’s top women’s cricket team is set for a historic debut in a local men’s competition tomorrow with COVID-19 restrictions preventing travel to Melbourne.
Geelong Cricket Club’s female team will begin its first ever season in a local men’s league against St Josephs in the Geelong Cricket Association (GCA) One Day South (retire 100) competition.
“It’s going to be so great for women’s cricket playing against the men,” Geelong Cricket Club women’s co-ordinator Sarah Pike said.
Pike said the side was “not out to win trophies or even matches” but rather to prepare for a possible women’s Victorian Premier Cricket league debut next year.
“We’re purely doing it to get great experience and the best out of our cricket. Our priority is getting them into premier cricket as soon as possible.”
The batswoman was excited but nervous ahead of the debut game.
“It’s a little nerve-wracking – there’s always that fear of the unknown,” she said.
The speed of the bowling and coming up against players who had previously played in higher grades could prove challenging, she said.
“Some of those might have been playing for as long as some of our girls have been alive.
“But I’ve got full faith in the girls’ ability and they all know it’s going to be great for their cricket. I think they’ll definitely hold their own.”
And she hoped the men would not hold back either. “We’re not expecting any handouts,” she said.
The decision comes with both men’s and women’s Victorian Premier Cricket delayed until at least later this month.
“We had to make a decision not knowing what was going to happen with COVID-19,” Pike said.
Geelong Cricket Club’s developmental women’s team, primarily consisting of players aged 15 to 18, made its debut in the Barwon Women’s Cricket Division 1 last Sunday.
The side won by three wickets against Manifold Heights chasing just 52 runs.
“Our batting needs a lot of work but our fielding and bowling were great,” Pike said.
“Ideally we would have liked to have had them playing in Melbourne this year but logistically it was just going to be too hard.
“We want to really start building the capability up because we want them to be playing premier cricket in the next year or two.
“The interest in women’s cricket in Geelong is just huge.”
GCA men’s divisions one, two and three commenced last weekend, while the one-day competitions will begin tomorrow.
Luke Voogt
