Wimmera cricketers shine
The Wimmera’s leading female cricketers have shown their talent on premier stages as they represented the region at a four-day compression of the state’s youth league season last week.
Five of the best young female cricketers from Wimmera Girls Cricket League, selected for the Western Waves’ under-15 female cricket squad, travelled to Melbourne for four days of competitive cricket against Victoria’s emerging stars.
Horsham Hurricanes’ Adelle Weidemann, Zarli Knight and Emma Uebergang and Stawell Strikers’ Lilly Reading and Ayva Mitchell were selected as part of the 2023 western Victorian representative squad to play a five-game season of 40- and 20-over games in the under-15 Female Youth Premier League.
The road trip to Melbourne was the tournament highlight. The Waves had previously played a round-one game at Ballarat.
Knight, with a top-score of 37, scored 97 runs across the tournament at an average of 19.4 runs to finish as the event’s 16th highest run-scorer.
Weidemann, with 38 runs, Mitchell, 33, Reading, 26, and Uebergang, 19, all contributed with the bat across the four days. Reading and Mitchell also claimed four wickets each.
The Waves failed to secure a win across their fixture, however, close finishes against Mallee Murray Suns during a 20-over match, as well as a 40-over bout against Northern Falcons, were both decided on the last ball of the game.
The Waves drew with the Suns, while they lost to the Falcons by two runs.
Western Waves head coach Grace Lee said while overall results did not go her team’s way,
the ‘young’ squad had ‘so many positives’ to take away from the tournament.
“It was a great tournament for our players to get stuck into, against quality opposition,” she said.
“We had a young side, led by Adelle Weidemann, who showed great leadership on and off the field. Seeing her growth from last season to where she is now, she continued to set the example for her teammates with her understanding of the game.
“Avya Mitchell took key wickets opening the bowling, Emma Uebergang took a brilliant stumping when she took the gloves. Each player took on their role and took on the feedback their coaches gave.
“Only four of 13 players in our squad will move into an older category next season, so it is exciting to see what the players can do when the
tournament comes around again in 2024.”
Lee said the squad travelled to team accommodation at University College, at The University of Melbourne, for the tournament — offering them a chance to ‘build a solid team foundation’ that also supported friendships.
Lee said Wimmera representation in the premier league tournament had developed significantly, with Wimmera Girls Cricket League players claiming five of 13 spots in the squad.
“We are really seeing Wimmera girls’ cricket come into fruition after hard work, and there will surely be more Wimmera players part of the trials process for the 2024 squad,” she said.
“The region is providing a chance for players to play representative cricket, as well as providing them with elite-cricket pathway opportunities, which is great.”