THE region’s first girl’s cricket team is in full swing despite not being entered into an official competition so far.
The Swan Hill Diamonds have begun training with a squad base of six players but coaches are hoping more girls make the commitment to the side in the near future.
Women’s cricket has become one of the fastest growing sports in the world — including the announcement of the first ever Women’s Big Bash League (BBL) which will kick off next month — and Swan Hill Diamonds coach Lyndon Chaproniere said the local side was a natural progression from the BBL’s announcement.
“I think [women’s cricket] will grow and grow and grow and we are just hoping to get our team started to keep it rolling,” he said.
“We are just trying to foster it into the community and see how we go with it.
“I think the exposure the BBL will have could improve it but it is time to show women’s and girls’ cricket — and hopefully get some interest locally here in Swan Hill.”
The plan was to bring the Diamonds into the Swan Hill and Districts Cricket Association’s Under 14 competition but a lack of players has prevented the girls from pulling on the whites in 2015/16.
But despite the setback, the team is not giving up.
“It is a natural progression of men’s cricket into junior cricket and then women’s cricket, there is a need here for it,” Chaproniere told The Guardian.
“We lack some numbers now but it just needs to kick off, we are looking for as many girls as we can possibly get.
“But we aren’t just going to stop just because we aren’t in the competition yet — we will still be here promoting cricket.”
For more on this story, grab a copy of Friday’s Guardian (November 13).
