Norths three-peat set to trigger bold Townsville Cricket Women’s League expansion
Townsville Cricket is targeting a bold expansion to six women’s teams in 2024 after the most successful female league season to date saw Norths players claim a third premiership. See why.
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Townsville Cricket is targeting a bold expansion to six women’s teams in 2024 after the most successful female league season to date.
Norths players completed a three-peat of premierships on Monday night but their first as a single club entity, having earlier won as Pitch Perfect and Norths Red.
The side defeated Wanderers by 55 runs to deny the Mighties a fairytale title on debut, but the rapid rise of that club from start-up to premiership contender has convinced officials that Townsville is ripe for expansion.
Around 60 players took the field in the four-team Women’s League in 2023, an increase of 33 per cent from a season ago.
Many of those new faces were players returning to cricket for the first time in years, or from new sports giving cricket a go.
Queensland Cricket official Antony Stewart said the high level of skill on display from the rookie players indicated that more potential stars of the game were out there in the community.
“There’s a lot of women who are just trying cricket for the first time, like we saw with the Wanderers team,” Stewart said.
“A lot of them had never played cricket before then they came forward and they made the grand final in their debut year. There’s probably a lot of women out there who have similar abilities, coming from other sporting backgrounds who could use those abilities in cricket and probably shock even themselves.
“I’d encourage as many women as possible to at least come down next season and do a come-and-try day and see how they go.”
Stewart said Monday night’s grand final at Riverway Stadium had capped off the most successful Women’s League yet.
While the competition is still in its infancy, Stewart said the rising skill level and popularity of the game among women meant there was no reason not to be ambitious with growth targets.
“I wouldn’t close the door on anything happening,” Stewart said.
“Ideally I’d like to see numbers go up evenly, so to go from four I’d like to go up to six just to avoid having the bye.
“We’ll keep trying to push as hard as we can with the Women’s League to see if we can get it up to the magical five or six teams.”
The rapid progression of the Wanderers side had made Norths nervous heading into Monday’s decider.
Player of the match Taylah Rix of Norths said her anxiety had gone through the roof while walking out to bat for a decisive 21, retired not-out.
“The feeling was more relief for me,” Rix said.
“Their batting and bowling has come an extremely long way and for them to come into the grand final in their first year is absolutely amazing.
“It was pretty hard batting against those girls but we got it done.”
Norths were sent in to bat first and set a significant chase of 2-144, with Dionne Hucker (34no), Rix (21 retired) and Courtney Hewitt (27 retired) leading the way.
Chelsie Stanley (37) proved a major threat for Wanderers but could not find a partner to chase down Norths with, eventually falling 55 runs short.
Rix took 1-14 from three overs and secured her player of the match accolade with a laser-beam throw to run out Gabrielle Dockray in a turning point for the match.
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Originally published as Norths three-peat set to trigger bold Townsville Cricket Women’s League expansion
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