Tairawhiti Women’s Cricket Club opens its innings

Northern Spirit coach Kari Carswell (front left) led a cricket practice for girls at the Harry Barker Reserve nets last month. Players are Kayley Knight (front) and (back, from left) Rubi Perano, Maddie Ashworth, Amy Thomas, Alessandra Evans, Grace Kuil and Grace Levy. Picture by Paul Rickard

A New club has formed to “keep girls’ cricket alive in Gizzy”.

The Tairawhiti Women’s Cricket Club aims to have girls’ teams in all of Poverty Bay’s junior competitions, help the game to grow and create better pathways for aspiring female cricketers.

At the senior level, the plan is to again field a women’s team in the Super City competition, which is run from Hawke’s Bay and also includes Palmerston North.

Club head coach Mel Knight said teams had previously been aligned with schools but they were often composite teams in reality, and bringing them together under one club should be tidier.

Last year, about 40 girls in the region played cricket at some point in the season.

This year, Knight hopes about 30 will play regularly.

Growing the game at the junior level should flow on to cricketers having more opportunities as they develop.

The club has four Northern Districts age-group representatives in its ranks.

“They have the potential to go a long way if they continue their development, and a few more could be knocking on the door this season,” Knight said.

“We hope to keep Poverty Bay well represented in female age-group teams for many years to come.”

The drive to increase female participation in the sport comes at a pivotal time for the women’s game, nationally and internationally.

An agreement (in principle) reached this week between New Zealand Cricket and New Zealand Cricket Players Association includes domestic female players receiving contracts for the first time.

The number of players on contract is set to rise from 15 to 79.

Though the pay at the lowest level is low — Domestic Competition Agreements are worth $3250 — broadening the base of female players who are paid is a shift for New Zealand Cricket.

A good time to get into cricketWhite Ferns captain Amy Satterthwaite said investing in domestic and developing players was an important step forward for women’s cricket.

“This is an agreement that recognises the need to grow the game at grassroots and domestic level in order to produce White Ferns who excel on the world stage,” she said.

Knight said it was a good time for girls to get into cricket.

The club had strong backing from the families of players and three players put their hands up to be on the committee.

“It’s great to see them taking on these roles at a young age.”

Northern Districts, however, has no women’s club competition, and it’s difficult for young players to make their way in the sport.

Northern Spirit coach Kari Carswell, who visited Gisborne this week, said there was often a gulf in experience between boys and girls in the game.

Carswell was brought up in Scotland, played hockey there and made her debut for Scotland in cricket at 17.

“I love cricket but it’s not the only thing in my life that I love,” she said

Golf and skiing are among her other interests.

Carswell was one of the Northern Districts coaches who ran a practice session for girls at the Harry Barker Reserve cricket nets on Wednesday.

Knight said the Tairawhiti club was seeking sponsors and anyone wanting to contribute to growing the women’s game could contact her at Makaraka School.