Heidi Alexander, Bailee Clarkson, Annalee Watson, and April Donnington have started playing with Bowral Blues in the local mid-week sub-junior competition, as a precursor to playing weekend cricket in a higher age group with the club next summer.

The girls played their first match in a mixed gender team at Centennial oval last week and will keep playing until the end of March.

All are in good hands, being coached by Bowral Blues and local representative player Eliza Heinecke and long-term first and second grade player Craig Rheynolds.

“Nothing is too serious at this stage – it’s all about being included and having fun,” Heinecke said.

“The idea is that every boy and girl will go home from matches with smiles on their faces and an interest in coming back to play more cricket.”

Rheynolds said the club was excited about having more girls join Bowral Blues.

“It doesn’t matter whether boys or girls at this age have been involved in cricket before – the focus is on having a good time and picking up technique tips bit by bit,” Rheynolds said. “That said, we’re off to a pretty good start with these new girls. They’re showing real potential.”

Bowral Blues head coach Brian Martin, who has coached many girls over the years including Eliza Heinecke and Australian player Lauren Cheatle, said with interest being shown already it was looking like the club could form at least one all-girl junior team next season.

“It’s a big breakthrough to have so many girls come forward in one go,” Martin said.

“You only have to look at what girls are achieving with cricket at the national level.

“Like any sport anywhere though, the journey always starts at club level. Our doors have always been open to girls but we want to go all the way and start up complete junior girls teams.”

Anyone interested in registering girls to play cricket with Bowral Blues Cricket Club should call head coach Brian Martin on 0419 989 905 or Craig Rheynolds on 0402 847 435.