Northern Bullets wicketkeeper-batter Tegan McPharlin wins Karen Rolton Medal
NORTHERN Bullets batter Tegan McPharlin was set the target of scoring 500 runs this season — now she is SA women’s cricketer of the year.
NORTHERN Bullets wicketkeeper-batter Tegan McPharlin was set the target of scoring 500 runs this season by her state coach Andrea McAuley.
Nine months on, the 25 year old has not only smashed her way past the milestone but been named SA women’s cricketer of the year.
“We got going with the Scorpions in July and they threw down the challenge to us batters,” McPharlin says.
“Early in the season I thought ‘I’m going to try to get 500 runs as quickly as possible’.
“I credit a lot of that to my start to the season and my standout year.”
McPharlin, who scored 626 runs at 52.17 this campaign, was last week awarded the Karen Rolton Medal for the women’s A grade best and fairest.
The opener, who made a career-high 141 against Port Adelaide in December, also helped the Bullets to the weekend’s grand final.
Despite scoring 53 in the decider, McPharlin was unable to prevent the merged Northern and Tea Tree Gully side falling to a 79-run defeat to Kensington.
“To win (the medal) was right up there with my best cricketing moments.
“At the start of the season I tried to be the batter that anchored the innings and saw us through to the total.
“Getting fitter in pre-season helped my concentration at the crease so I’ve been able to bat for longer periods of time.
“We also worked with a sports psychologist which helped with the mental side of my game and trying to not over think things all the time.”
The Balaklava resident began playing cricket aged 10 after watching her older brothers in action.
She played in boys teams before being selected in the SA girls under-13, under-17 and under-19 sides.
McPharlin, who idolised former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist growing up, made her debut for the SA Scorpions against NSW in 2007.
She makes the 190-km round trip to Adelaide up to four times a week for training and matches as she strives to make her mark on the national stage.
“A couple of years ago I was doing not too bad, but then I had a few leaner years,” she says.
“That’s when I really questioned whether I should keep going with all the travelling.
“But the last two seasons I’ve just gone up a couple of levels.”