THE Sunraysia Cricket Association is pleased its women’s competition has remained well supported going into season 2020-21.
Ten teams will again contest the division, with all eight SCA clubs represented.
Nichols Point will again have two sides, while Red Cliffs Cricket Association club Fire Brigade is again joining the competition.
SCA administration manager Peter Woodford said the competition was thriving.
“It’s a nice, even round number of 10, which is great,” Woodford said.
“Some teams who have struggled in past years have recruited reasonably well, there’s a lot of younger girls – 15-17 years old – who have taken to it.
I think most clubs haven’t got a shortage of numbers.
“It’s much the same (as recent years), but it’s at a good level.”
Woodford said the competition was continuing to produce good cricketers, with some even stepping into Saturday division cricket and playing high levels – including Settlers’ Shania McKinnon who has played First Division with her club.
“There’s some exceptional ones, and the one that stands out definitely in the past couple of seasons is McKinnon,” Woodford said.
“She’s a very good cricketer.”
Women’s cricket is set to start in line with Saturday senior cricket on October 30.
Meanwhile, junior cricket starts on October 17.
Encouragingly there are eight teams nominated for the under-16 competition this season, with Nichols Point – a club experiencing record junior numbers – and Mildura East fielding standalone sides (after previously) partnering with Workers Gol Gol and Merbein South respectively and the Red Cliffs Cricket Association putting in a team.
Workers Gol Gol and Coomealla Wentworth have nominated a combined side.
The under-16 competition previously had five sides as the age group struggled to retain players in the sport.
