MAKINLEY Blows now has a state senior century under her belt following a dominant performance with the bat for Victoria in the Women’s National Cricket League on Tuesday.
Former Workers Gol Gol cricketer Blows scored 105 runs off 134 balls in her team’s seven wicket win over New South Wales in Adelaide, with Dad Mark part of the contingent of family and supporters watching on.
“I’m just really proud of the hard work she’s done, she finally got her reward for all the dedication and time she spends training, she’s very strongly committed to her cricket,” Blows said.
“She’s a very humble person, she was proud, she had her grandparents and that there to watch her achieve it all, it was probably a very special moment for her and plus her coach was very impressed, he was a bit overawed as well with the occasion.”
Victoria were in immediate trouble at 1-0 when Elyse Villani fell first ball chasing NSW’s 186, but Blows and Annabel Sutherland (63) then set about a huge stand.
“She was a little bit slow at the start but once they got into the innings things started to free up, her and Annabel built a really good partnership (of 164) so they batted well together, they ran between the wickets well together,” Blows said.
“They’ve got a bit of a special bond those two, they’ve been in some good partnerships for Victoria over the past two years.”
Blows had made three centuries before for Victorian under age sides and a 99 at club level beforehand.
“We were told she did (have it in her), but being a parent you never expect it,” her proud Dad said.
“You just go along and more or less hope she gets off the mark and doesn’t make a duck.
“That’s good enough for me some days … you just go out and you hope they enjoy the game, that’s the main thing – being happy with what they do, that’s all you want to see at the end of the day.”
As Sunraysia steps up the development of women’s cricket with a new junior girls program to start, Makinley is seen as something of a trailblazer and someone these girls would aspire to emulate.
Her Dad said his humble daughter had been in their shoes, having been just like them as she plied her trade locally.
“When people come up she won’t ignore people, the young girls who come up to talk to her she spends time with them,” Mark Blows said.
“She sees it from the other side as a young player coming up and being a developing cricketer, she’s seen both sides of the picture now.”
