Premier Cricket: Carlton-Brunswick and Ringwood in line to join Women’s Premier firsts competition

CARLTON-BRUNSWICK and Ringwood are in line to join the state’s best female cricket competition.

Carlton Brunswick batter Ella Baulch hits out last summer. Picture: Hamish Blair.

CARLTON-BRUNSWICK is confident it is ready to compete against the state’s best female cricketers if a proposal to revamp Women’s Premier is given the green light.

A proposed restructure would result in the Strikers and Ringwood being added to the Women’s Premier Cricket competition, expanding from six to eight sides, while Coburg, Melton and Brighton Districts would drop back to the community Women’s Shield.

The changes are expected to be finalised at next month’s Cricket Victoria delegates meeting.

Carlton-Brunswick has experienced success in the Premier seconds competition in the past two years, claiming a one-day premiership and reaching four consecutive grand finals.

Ringwood and Carlton-Brunswick have played off in the past two women’s seconds grand finals.

Carlton-Brunswick coach Karl Mayne said his side was excited to test itself against powerhouse clubs such as Essendon-Maribyrnong Park and Box Hill.

“We have put some really solid performances in the seconds for two years,” Mayne said.

“We think we have got the right age group and the girls will be able to mix it at that level.

“There’s going to be a learning curve that comes with the higher standard.

Ringwood’s Caitlyn Parker (right) celebrates a wicket last summer. Picture: Hamish Blair.

“We are just excited to have the opportunity to show what we can do. We are pretty confident in what we have got.”

Mayne said the Strikers were unlikely to recruit heavily to prepare for the jump in class, having been focused on developing talent from their local region.

“It looks like the majority of players will be returning which will hold us in good stead,” he said.

“It looks like we again will field three women’s teams. There’s not many clubs that are fielding that sort of depth in the women’s game across Victoria at the moment.

He said the club was thrilled by the growth of its women’s program in recent years.

“It’s been hard work by many a committee member and a lot of the girls to get us into this position,” he said.

“The partnership with Carlton has been really successful and I am looking forward to continuing to develop that.”

Ringwood president Mark Freeman said it was logical the Rams were one of the clubs promoted.

“Given we were the first men’s Premier club to introduce women’s cricket into our portfolio, that and our performances right across the board, on and off the field, has certainly helped,” Freeman said.

“We’ve certainly been pushing it pretty hard for two years now to look at our expansion of the competition.”

Ringwood first introduced a women’s team ahead of the 2011-12 season and won last season’s seconds premiership.