SWAN Hill’s only female cricket team is ready to take the park for their first home match of the season.
The Murray Downs Diamonds will take centre stage when they host Horsham at the Alan Garden Reserve in a T20 fixture from 9.30am Sunday.
After defeating the Wimmera Mallee Belles last weekend, the Diamonds will aim to continue their good form.
The dual reigning premiers amassed 3/199 before bowling Wimmera Mallee out for just 37.
Coach Alan Hatcher expected a far tougher match against Horsham, who underwent changes in the offseason.
“It was a great result for the girls last week, especially with it being our first match of the season,” Hatcher told The Guardian this week.
“We’ve lost a couple of players from last year’s side, but we still have a very strong team.
“We have a couple of new players who have stepped up who are very good cricketers as well.
“(Horsham) had two teams last year and now they’ve merged together, so they’ll have a very competitive side with some really good players from both teams that have come together. It will definitely be a good challenge for us.”
Maddison Walle was the hero for Murray Downs last Sunday, top scoring with 46.
Mia Hansen (36), Bridie Curran (20), Lily Scott (18) and captain Amalie Bell (18) were also strong contributors with the bat, while Mia Hansen was the Diamonds’ only multiple wicket taker with two scalps for the game.
The Diamonds are in their fourth season, and numbers and participation had been steadily increasing.
A slight drop in numbers from last season has prompted the SHDCA put considerable focus into the female program.
Hatcher was hopeful of seeing plenty of new faces in the coming weeks as the weather warmed and the summer of cricket arrives.
“We try to keep the girls engaged over the offseason with some training and the like, but we’re always welcoming of more players,” Hatcher said.
“Last year we had enough players to have three hybrid teams play in a separate competition.
“This year we probably haven’t quite got those numbers, but in saying that, we’ve still picked up several new players.
“We’ve been talking to Cricket Victoria and the SHDCA about boosting our profile with some advertising and getting around to conduct some clinics in schools.
“A lot of the girls get started in the same way as the boys, they do the cricket blasters program, then filter into their local under-11 and under-13 teams.
“That’s when they start to look at playing for us.
“The girls that join us just love playing in the Diamonds side against other girls.
“Female sport is taking off across the country – you look at the Matildas and AFLW – and it’s good that we have a local competition where we can give young girls a vehicle to play against their own gender and enjoy playing cricket.
“The next step for us is to look at putting together a senior female competition as well and really completing the pathway.”
Hatcher hoped to see a big turn out in support of his team playing at home.
“Come along on Sunday, have a look and watch the enjoyment the girls get,” he said.
“It’s all about having a bit of fun and enjoyment, we don’t take ourselves to seriously, just come and enjoy playing the game.
“The Australian women’s cricket team is possibly the most successful national sporting side we have in Australia, so there some good role models for the girls to look up to, and they all started at this level when they were kids too.”
