DOLPHIN SWING
CRICKET SEASON HITS OFF
GRACE Parsons’ Katherine Raymont Shield debut will be a memorable experience in more ways than one as the Gold Coast Dolphins enter a new era of women’s cricket.
With the club’s first grade women to launch their Queensland Premier Cricket campaign with a one-day trip to Sandgate-Redcliffe tomorrow, Parsons, 15, is one of seven changes from the side that played the final fixture of 2017-18.
A national title winner with the NSW under-15s last season and a member of the NSW Academy, Lismore product Parsons has only ever played in boys teams at club level.
But far from daunted by the prospect of facing last season’s one-day and Twenty20 grand finalists tomorrow, the young allrounder is keeping things perfectly simple.
“(The goal is) just to get wickets, get runs and have fun,” said Parsons, from the village of Caniaba on the outskirts of Lismore.
“I’m pretty excited to play first grade – it was a nice little surprise. I’m really excited for
the experience to be able to play women’s cricket for the first time. I’m used to playing with the boys and I’ve always played against the boys back in Lismore.
“A lot of our more experienced players (like Delissa Kimmince and Sammy-Jo Johnson) are away playing for the Queensland Fire and other rep duties so I think there’ll be a few of the younger girls coming through (against Sandgate).
“Coming up (to the Dolphins) I’ve found it’s a really inviting club and everyone’s so inclusive. It was really nice experiencing that. It’s easier than travelling 20 hours down to Sydney.”
The Dolphins underwent a rebuild in 2017-18, winning just two of eight one-day games to finish last.
An identical record in the T20 format left them second from bottom.
With Kimmince and Johnson on Queensland Fire duties, Tara Wheeler, Rebecca Van Helvoirt, Roxanne Thomson, Laura Lovett and Carlia Blunt are the only surviving players from the final game of last season.
The Dolphins will play eight one-dayers to start the new season, while the club’s second grade women begin their season at home to Valleys next Sunday.