Young star ready for English tour

Young cricketer prepares for English challenge

Highfields cricketer Bridget Peden will tour England in 2021 with her former club - Atheron.

CRICKET tours don’t get any bigger than a series in England.

The conditions, atmosphere and culture can test even the most talented of cricketers and Bridget Peden is up for the challenge.

Peden’s tour schedule is more than a year away but the Highfields bowler is still excited after receiving the “call up” from her cricket mentor Gary Toshach.

The left arm medium-fast first rolled her arm over in Atherton and she will represent her old club in England in 2021.

“It’s an honour and privilege to be able to play for my old club,” she said.

“When I first started playing I was one of only a few girls playing for the club.

“It was a bit daunting at first, playing against all the boys, but I loved it.

“I know there’s a lot more girls playing for them (Atherton) now so I really appreciate the fact they asked me to play.

“Gary was my coach in Atheron so to receive that call was pretty special.”

The call came from Toshach – a former Toowoomba Western Districts captain in the 80s and 90s – but a Queensland Bulls player is also responsible for sparking Peden’s passion for cricket.

“I played in a few Milo T20 Blast sessions at my school and really enjoyed it,” Peden said.

“When Atherton (cricket club) hosted a T20 Blast I asked dad (Lachlan) if I could go.

“Bulls players Jim Pearson and Ben Cutting were there and Ben gave me the nickname Rocket Arm.

“I thought that was really cool and I had a lot of fun on the day.

“That’s where my love for cricket really started.”

Looking to England, Peden hopes to soak up as much atmosphere and knowledge as possible.

“Just going to England without playing cricket would be a great experience,” she said.

“Being able to go to England with my friends from my old club and hometown and play cricket will be fantastic.

“It will be interesting to see how they play the game there.

“I think it will be a real challenge but I’m looking forward to it.”

Since making the move to Toowoomba at age 14 Peden has played for the Toowoomba Girls Hub, Darling Downs Schools Rep team, Downlands College, Highfields Railways C-grade and Ipswich Hornets in the Queensland Premier Cricket competition

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