Tara Murray
It’ll be a big few months for Noura Abdul Qader as she represents not one, but two Vic Metro teams at national cricket championships.
Noura, who is just 14, was named in the under-19 team for the Vic Metro for the national championships next month.
Then she was named in a second straight under-16 Vic Metro team for the national championships early next year.
Noura said she was pretty lucky to be selected in both teams.
“It’s a really good opportunity to play all grades and all formats,” she said. “Getting a lot of experience from all ages.
“I’m really young, I didn’t expect much [in terms of the under-19s] but I was really confident in that age group too.
“I was so excited I couldn’t believe it. It was a shock.”
While she’s the youngest in the under-19 team, Noura said her experiences in the under-16 team earlier this year helped with her cricket.
She said she was hoping to be named in that team as well for a second time. Noura said she would notice a difference between the two age groups.
“They’re like better [the under-19s],” she said. “There’s a lot of difference in under-16s and under-19, more intensity in training. It’s really fun.”
Noura said she was hoping to play a few games in the under-19s before then thinking about the under-16s.
She said she’s really excited but is always nervous heading into championships like this.
Noura said her opportunities at the state level helped her when she came back to her local cricket.
She opens the batting for Greenvale Kangaroos in Victorian Premier Cricket seconds, while plays in an under-15 mixed team for Truganina having previously played girls cricket with Point Cook Centrals.
Noura said she’s enjoying opening the batting for the Kangaroos.
“I have been training with the under-19s so when I go to premier, it’s easier,” she said.
“It’s a really good experience, opening the batting. I’ve been happy with my season.”
Noura, whose favourite player is Virat Kohli, said the travel doesn’t worry her and said that she would travel anywhere for her cricket.
Having got her love of cricket from her father, Noura said she one day wants to play for Australia.
“My dad has played really good cricket, always went to his matches when he was six, I was like let’s try cricket and I just started loving cricket.”
