The next generation of Nichols Point cricketers are on the verge of doing great things, says Annie O’Rourke, after her young side knocked off the previously unbeaten Merbein South in a nail-biting finish last Friday.
The Nichols Point Green captain said the club was “buzzing” following the victory, which came after Sherri Hamence hit a four off the third-last ball as the Pointers chased down the league leader’s score of 112.
Merbein South had looked set to hit a large score when they passed the 10-over mark sitting on 80 runs, but the strong bowling of Nichols Point’s young bowlers helped turn the match around.
“It was the young ones, in particular Gypsy Gange, who stepped up and just went bang, bang, bang,” O’Rourke said. “We managed to bowl them out in the 18th over.”
Gange finished with 3/11 but it was O’Rourke contribution with bat and ball which earned her this week’s Premier Women’s Player of the Round nomination.
O’Rourke took 2/17 before leading the Pointers run chase, scoring 30 retired not out.
It was her fourth 30 retired not out of the season and O’Rourke said she was happy with her return to form following a couple of “unlucky” performances to start 2022.
It has been a strong batting season for O’Rourke, who registered her longest career partnership of 64 runs with Stephanie Cross in round 9 against Irymple and has a current average of 44.67.
The seven-season veteran said while her job opening the batting remained to score quickly, she appreciated the time batting with the younger cricketers in the side.
“Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve had that opportunity to be out in the middle with the younger ones and that’s what you look forward – why I enjoy Fridays,” she said.
Nichols Point Green is the highest scoring team in Premier Womens, and O’Rourke said the aggression the emerging cricketers demonstrated was “phenomenal”.
“They want to make runs,” she said. “It’s not about survival for them.
“It’s about just putting the hammer down and trying to make as many runs as possible.”
The Nichols Point Green side currently sit in the top four, and while they aim to play finals, O’Rourke said the season had been a success as several cricketers had begun to make a name for themselves.
“(Sherri Hamence) had a really horrific leg injury a couple of years ago, so she doesn’t bat too often. But she hit the winning runs last week,” O’Rourke said.
“And young Charlie Burgess, who just turned 14, is a very dependable batter. She gets out there and puts the team first every week.”
O’Rourke said the side had shown patience during their run chase, using smart running to chip away at the scoreboard and the side were looking forward to their derby with Nichols Point Gold on Friday.
“They’ve got the wood on us, so we’re pretty keen to just turn that around,” she said.
“We think we are coming out at the right end of the season, so we’re going in confident and just really excited.”
As the SCA Women’s Player of the Round, O’Rourke receives a $40 voucher thanks to the Coomealla Memorial Sporting Club.
