ST Georges Basin's Joanne Kelly and her NSW Country Bush Breakers will play a Twenty20 women's tri-series against the NSW Women's Indigenous team and a SCG XI at Bradman Oval, Bowral, on Saturday, March 13.
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The tri-series was originally scheduled for Saturday, January 16 but due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney during that period, the matches were postponed in the interests of player and public health and safety.
The tournament is an important opportunity for the Cricket NSW Women's Indigenous and Country teams, who were unable to represent their culture and region at the respective national championships this season.
Cricket Australia announced in early October that this season's National Cricket Inclusion Championships (NCIC), National Indigenous Cricket Championships (NICC) and Toyota Australia Country Cricket Championships will not be going ahead, largely due to limitations with travel restrictions and quarantine requirements caused by the pandemic.
All three championships are set to return next season.
The NSW Women's Indigenous team, which will wear a special jersey designed by squad member Dimity Parton, will be led by Julie Muir, who has captained the team to 13 consecutive titles at the National Indigenous Championships.
This Indigenous squad was originally slated to feature West Cambewarra's Naomi Woods of the Kamilaroi tribe, but she has been forced to withdraw from the squad - being replaced by Jordan Cooper.
NSW Country, which also features Kira Churchland, Anita Handono, Sophie Heath, Tiegan Kavanagh, Lisa Kuschert, Naomi McDonald, Alana Ryan, Kirsten Smith, Jaclyn Vickery and Catherine Wood, will be captained by Port Macquarie's Kate Jackson, who also works as a Cricket Manager for Cricket NSW on the Mid-North Coast.
The SCG XI women's team was launched in January 2020 and provides opportunities for emerging female cricketers to participate by invitation in quality playing and non-playing events underpinned by the pillars of "competitive, heritage and community" of the SCG.
The SCG XI aims to recognise women in sport, brings together elite and emerging talent to promote the spirit of cricket through selected matches and events, positioning the SCG as a globally recognised cricket playing entity.
The strategy has been extended to develop a women's membership giving like-minded people with a passion for the game the opportunity to experience premium on and off field events.
Retired former Australian and NSW women's captain, Lisa Sthalekar, was appointed the SCG XI club captain with Lyn Larsen appointed an honorary Patron of the SCG XI women's membership.
Sthalekar will be unavailable due to commentary commitments with fellow Breakers great Sarah Aley to captain the team in her absence.
The squad's coach is Breakers great Julie Hayes.
Aley is joined in the 13-player SCG XI squad by current Breakers player Tahlia Wilson and her Sydney Thunder teammate, off-spinning allrounder Saskia Horley.
Plans to hold matches for the NSW Men's Indigenous and Country teams are ongoing with details to be confirmed in the future.
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Courtney Ward
Sports Journalist for South Coast Register and Milton-Ulladulla Times, who loves all things sport and travel. All views are my own.
Sports Journalist for South Coast Register and Milton-Ulladulla Times, who loves all things sport and travel. All views are my own.
