Baldwin’s lead role for reps

STEPHANIE Baldwin has a habit of leading the charge when she pulls on the whites.

And now the 30-year-old Townsville cricketer is ready to lead the women’s game into a new era.

Baldwin will captain-coach the inaugural Northern Women’s side, a representative outfit made up of the best female cricketers from North Queensland and Far North Cricket.

The side will take on a Central Queensland representative side in a three-game series at Townsville’s Riverway Stadium next month.

The matches will double as a final audition for regional players to stake a claim for selection in the Queensland Country side for the Australian Championships in Toowoomba in January.

It is a major step forward for women’s cricket in North Queensland.

“It is really exciting to have something a little bit local and to have that step between playing your club cricket and then going on to play for Queensland Country. It is exciting for the future of women’s cricket,” Baldwin said. “A lot of the talent coming through is quite young, which is really promising for the future of the game.”

Baldwin will add plenty of experience to the Northern outfit that has an average age of about 16 and includes emerging Townsville junior Sianna Ginger.

But she admitted the coaching role was something she had never done before, and it was a job made even harder by the tyranny of distance between the players in the squad.

“Unfortunately we don’t get any training sessions to run with the girls beforehand but hopefully that is something we can look forward to in the future,” she said.

“It will be a little bit challenging in getting to know the girls and where their strengths lie in the field and where they fall in the batting and bowling.

“We have a good idea of where the people fit in the team, but it might be a bit trial and error to start with before making changes for the other games. Just to give everyone a go and see where people work the best.”

North Queensland coach and talent development specialist Tony Hampson, who has been a driving force behind the side, said it was a perfect opportunity to showcase the best female talents on a bigger stage.

“It is very exciting opportunity for the ladies,” he said.

“There is a lot of work going on in the region. Our Queensland Cricket community staff and the local clubs and associations are doing a great job with the Heat Girls League and Cricket Blast.

“To now have an event at the top for the older ladies who have played all their junior cricket here to achieve and aspire to is really exciting.

“For us it really bridges the gap between our club cricketers and our Queensland Country representatives. It gives the ladies an opportunity.” Tahlia Smith (CFN), Abbey Toshach (CFN), Stephanie Baldwin (NQ), Kirby Will

(CFN), Lee-anne Kingston (CFN), Sianna Ginger (NQ), Alana Romano (NQ), Ash Spina (NQ), Segumar Edwards

(CFN), Stacey Rockliff (NQ), Eliza Carr (NQ), Soraya Houghton (CFN)