A move to a new club and the top of the order has convinced Mildura East’s Alex Pallot she is in the right spot to develop her cricket.
Alex Pallot took advantage of coming in at No.3, hitting 30 not out as Mildura East defeated top four side Nichols Point Gold last Friday.
Pallot’s batting performance, along with picking up the wicket of Pointers opener Teoi Kirirua-Gill as she bowled 1/2, earned Pallot this week’s Premier Women’s Player of the Round nomination.
Pallot said it “came as a shock” to be named player of the round but said batting third at Easts had helped her feel comfortable knowing what to expect week to week.
“I just feel like that’s my spot,” Pallot said. “I’ve got into that rhythm and mindset that I’ve got to go in and if I can’t make those runs up, I know that the girls behind me can also do the job.”
In her second year in the competition, Pallot said she made the move from Mildura Settlers to continue the tradition of her family playing for Easts.
“I felt like I just fit in straight away,” she said. ‘They’ve done everything to make me feel welcome. It’s great just to keep the name in the club.”
It has been a time of growth for Pallot and Easts, who have focused this year on consistently scoring at a run a ball while also restricting their opposition.
Pallot said the addition of her father Rob Pallot as a specialist bowling coach at the start of the season was improving the side’s bowling and fielding.
“It’s all starting now. It’s all clicking and starting to go the way we want it,” she said.
Mildura East have won their last two matches on the back of improved bowling and fielding, restricting Coomealla Wentworth (5/62) and Nichols Point Gold (9/97).
Alex said having additional coaching was improving her medium-pace bowling.
“With my dad doing the specialist bowling training, my bowling has got a lot faster as well.”
Pallot said her time playing softball, baseball and volleyball had helped her hand eye coordination and throwing.
“I generally field on the boundary or close up because I’ve got that reaction time from playing baseball, softball.”
Ahead of Mildura East’s clash with Mildura West at John Hall Oval this Friday, Alex said East would continue to try to limit their opposition to under 100 runs as they hoped to continue their improvement in the field.
In other matches, Nichols Point Green face a dominant Merbein South side at Nichols Point Reserve, while Settlers Gol Gol will look to rebound from last week’s loss when they take on Irymple at Mildura Senior College.
Coomealla Wentworth meet Nichols Point Gold in Coomealla, with the Pointers side keen to hold on to their top four spot.
