Harper Sercombe
Hoppers Crossing women’s team is returning after a two year hiatus.
The Cats previously partnered with Sanctuary Lakes, now Point Cook Centrals to provide a joint women’s cricket program in the Cricket Victoria Women’s Community Cricket Competition and North West Metro Cricket Association however, this partnership broke down for the 2022-23season.
Now, under the watch of committee member and women’s co-ordinator Syeda Bahadur the Cats are ready to fly solo.
“We just want to invite more female players into the game,” she said.
“Being one of Wyndham’s biggest clubs we are re launching our female cricket program.”
To help entice women to the sport the Cats are cutting the registration fee for females interested and said they will help with gear.
“Our club is determined to provide opportunities for women to experience cricket,” Bahadur said.
“We have made it free because we want to bring women into the game, because there is a lot of a gap.
“For instance at our club we have over 10 men’s and boys teams, but we don’t have any women’s teams at the moment.
“I am a mother, so I would pay $500 for my kid to play at a club, but if I wanted to enrol myself there’s a lot of hesitation and it’s for most women out there.
“We would love to cover the players who can’t afford their own gear.
“Personally, I think that because of the nature of females, they are always so constrained, responsible and selfless but then they have to take some time for themselves for their fitness, their physical and mental well being.
“Cricket is a great way to do that, it gives you fitness, you get a chance to socialise, you get great team building skills and you can learn the sport and the sportsmanship as well.”
The club already has about 15 women interested, however, seven are girls playing in the women’s team, the goal is to be able to have two teams, a junior and senior side and build the program from there.
Bahadur said the goal is to have more girls playing because they can have more than one team an slowly build their way to have equal numbers as the men’s and boys teams.
“We’ve been able to give the girls an opportunity to experience women’s cricket and get more hands-on experience. But our goal is to have a junior girls team too,” she said.
The Cats women side trains on Tuesday nights at Hogans Road Reserve.
The club is aiming to play in the NWMCA competition this season.
Details: womenscricketshccc@gmail.com
