WBBL: Sydney Thunder’s Saskia Horley has bag of new tricks to reinvigorate cricket career

Saskia Horley wonders now if she was too young for the success and attention that came as a teen tyro. Three years on she has a bag of new tricks to deal with her cricket career.

It’s an odd combination to reinvigorate a sport in career but changing clubs, playing for another country, getting a job and starting a business is working wonders for Saskia Horley.

The north shore cricketer, who moved from Gordon to Manly Warringah for her club cricket, is now back with Sydney Thunder on a player replacement contract for the injured Hannah Darlington after losing both her WBBL and NSW Breakers contracts due to a form slide.

And while she has a new outlook on life, she still has the same old goals.

“I am clear about what I want to do. The ultimate goal is playing for Australia but that’s a lot easier said than done,’’ Horley said.

“I want to cement my place with the Breakers and hopefully make the final and win the comp with them.

Shivani Mehta, Mikaela Turik and Saskia Horley, who played in the men's NSW Premier Cricket side with Manly. Pic: Tim Hunter.

“I want to go to the UK and play here again in country cricket with Middlesex.

“And I want to help Scotland get through to a World Cup.’’

With hindsight, Horley now wonders if she was equipped to deal with the attention and pressure of being a rising star after making her WBBL debut as a 19-year-old.

“It is different for every player. There are some who are ready at the young age,’’ said Horley, who is studying sport management at UTS.

“Looking back I realise I wasn’t as ready as I though I was, everything that came with it, the huge responsibility.

“Now I feel more equipped to deal with it.

Josie Dooley of Melbourne Renegades (right) completes the run out of Saskia Horley of Sydney Thunder (left) back in 2019.

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“When you are not scoring it’s quite difficult to enjoy the sport. When you are in form it’s the best game ever. When you are out of form it’s hard to find form.’’

Horley said taking on a job at a RSL, staring a coaching business, moving to Manly Warringah to play and a stint overseas with Scotland and in the UK have worked a charm.

“I grew up like most NSW kids going through the pathway and that is awesome,’’ said Horkey, now 22.

“I only knew cricket. I was in my own bubble. Outside it I see the world differently now.

“I was in real life. It was cool to have that experience even if it was scary.’’

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Originally published as WBBL: Sydney Thunder’s Saskia Horley has bag of new tricks to reinvigorate cricket career