SARA McGlashan will be the first to confess that life in Christchurch is a far cry from Hawke's Bay these days.
In fact, McGlashan could be forgiven for waking up at times thinking she's on a train journey from the Garden City to Greymouth.
"Yeah, it's still shaking so you just roll over and go back to sleep. You get used to it," the 29-year-old Napier-born New Zealand cricketer said yesterday, alluding to how Cantabrians were adjusting to life after the fatal earthquake in February and the ensuing tremors that have prompted some people to relocate.
"It was quite tempting to leave while it was still shaking away," the senior Central Districts Hinds batsman said of early this year.
McGlashan, whose parents Peter and Mynnetta McGlashan live here, felt it was harder for her to fight the desire to leave promptly.
"I have no family there and nothing to keep me there in terms of commitment," she said but revealed she's happy now to soldier on as New Zealand Cricket's national women's development officer. She has adroitly rolled her sleeves up to motivate Canterbury children to play cricket.
Her elder brother, Peter McGlashan jnr, a world record wicket-taking wicketkeeper and former Black Cap, lives in Hamilton and plays for the Northern Districts Knights, while their grandmothers also live in Napier.
Sara is travelling throughout the country spearheading the White Ferns Roadshow.
Visiting Bay schools yesterday, she and Hawke's Bay Cricket women's development officer Abby Burrows are trying to entice girls to give the summer code a go, as well as promote the Ferns' schedule for the 2011-12 season.
"Broady and I have been holding girls-only sessions. That's because the girls don't stand back as the boys can be quite dominating," she said after she and White Fern/CD allrounder Kate Broadmore, of New Plymouth, visited numerous schools in Auckland, Hamilton and Gisborne in the past few weeks.
McGlashan will visit Dunedin next week where she will team up with double international (White Fern and Tall Fern) Suzie Bates to continue promoting the New Zealand team.
"Cricket has always been regarded as a predominantly male game," the former Napier Girls' High School pupil said, adding few women worked in the grassroots area of the game.
"Therefore, more often than not, girls tend to have a male coming to their school to encourage them to play cricket.
"The great thing about the roadshow is that girls are given the opportunity to engage and interact with White Ferns on a personal level during coaching sessions and games."
Fern/CD bowler Burrows, who didn't play last summer because of shoulder surgery, and McGlashan visited Taradale Primary, Havelock North Intermediate and Hastings Intermediate.
"Another reason we're getting into the schools is to promote a festival day in term four [date to be confirmed] that will involve 8-a-side teams playing short games against other schools," McGlashan said of the day which will involve year 5-8 pupils.
"We're coming across a lot of girls who are naturally talented so we're playing modified games so they can enjoy themselves too."
McGlashan quashed rumours she was leaving CD for another major association after the quake crisis and job demands.
"I don't think I can play for anyone else," says the 80 one-day international match veteran.
Last season's CD Hinds coach, Doug Bracewell, urged McGlashan to assume the mantle of captaincy after CD and New Zealand skipper Aimee Watkins retired.
However, McGlashan said she was happy to play the supportive role of senior player as international wicketkeeper Rachel Priest was quite capable of filling a role she has deputised in when Watkin's wasn't available.
"Many children grow up wanting to be a captain but I never did at any stage of my career," she said, happy to work in tandem with the leader as a sounding board when required.
With former women's World Cup-winning Ferns coach, Mike Shrimpton, at the helm from this summer, McGlashan said the former CD Stags stalwart might have a different approach to the way things would be conducted.
The Hinds won the double domestic titles - the Twenty20 and one-dayers - in the 2009-10 season under Bracewell, of Masterton, but an exodus, retirement and unavailability of senior players last summer saw the Hinds struggle to retain the bragging rights.
Bracewell, who had other commitments in rugby development and local council in Wairarapa, stepped down, urging CD association to look at appointing his successor on a wider, more encompassing role of development to make it worthwhile for him/her to stay.
CD Cricket appointed Shrimpton to the position. He was living and coaching in Christchurch but left after the earthquake.
For more information on girls and women's cricket go to www.hbcricket.co.nz or email Abby Burrows at abby@hbcricket.co.nz