Former Test batter Meg Lanning inspires the next generation at Queenscliff Cricket Club

Female cricketers at a BPCA club have been given a major boost after a former Test player dropped by training. See where you rank from hundreds of local players.

Former Test cricketer Meg Lanning made an appearance at Queenscliff Cricket Club. Picture: Queenscliff Cricket Club.

Queenscliff Cricket Club’s youngest generation of female players received a major boost this week after former Test player Meg Lanning dropped by training.

Lanning, who played six Tests and more than 100 one day internationals for the country, provided tips for Queenscliff’s junior and senior female players.

The club said on its Facebook page said it was a great initiative from Cricket Australia which would further strengthen its development programs.

However, Lanning surprised some of the local girls with the news they had been selected to be CommBank Mini Mates at the women’s Ashes Test at MCG — they will take the field with the players before the game, which starts on January 30.

“The excitement on the girls’ faces when they heard the news was priceless,” the club said.

Meg Lanning gave some tips to Queenscliff Cricket Club juniors. Picture: Queenscliff Cricket Club.

Meanwhile, Newtown & Chilwell batter Taliesin Platt has scored 58 more runs than her nearest rival – former Test player and Barwon Heads recruit Steph Theodore – to lead all comers in senior women’s cricket across six grades.

Platt has struck 336 runs for the Two Blues with an average of 112 and a highest score of 80.

She has also hit 37 boundaries – the equal most alongside Newcomb & District’s Rosie Grist in E Grade East ¬ and three sixes so far in B Grade,

Bell Park mother leads all comers with the ball in Geelong senior women’s cricket

A Bell Park mum with a unique bowling action is leading all women’s cricket competitions with ball in hand this season.

Louise Darbyshire has taken nine wickets at an average of 7.33 in B Grade for the Dragons.

Meanwhile, teammate Loren Stephens is third with eight wickets at 6.5 apiece in D Grade.

Darbyshire, who has been playing for the past three seasons, has loved the game from a young age.

“I love the sense of belonging and mental health benefits of being a part of the community at Bell Park,” Darbyshire said.

“We have a great team and all get along so well.

Louise Darbyshire bowls for Bell Park. Picture: Bell Park CC.

“I have 24 good balls to do the best I can for the team.

“So that’s what I am hell-bent on achieving every week.”

Darbyshire, who prides on being able to bowl at any time during an innings, describes her bowling action as unique: “My style isn’t traditional, so it’s hard to face at times, apparently. But it works!”

Meanwhile, Barwon Heads recruit and former Test player Stephanie Theodore remains at the top of the runs aggregate with 169 at an average of 56 in A Grade.

In junior girls cricket, Jan Juc is also developing a couple of impressive young cricketers, with Lucie Johnson McCarthy and Adela Wilson in the top three for the bowling aggregate across all grades.

Johnson McCarthy has taken 10 wickets at an average of 4.5, with the best figures of 5-13, while Wilson has claimed eight at 4.6 with the best figures of 5-7.

With the bat, North Geelong’s Rhyder Zdybel has hit 247 runs without being dismissed, hitting 36 boundaries along the way.

Zdybel is also second in the junior girls aggregate with 10 wickets at an average of 4.6 to complete a stunning start to the cricket season.

She joined the Magpies this season after learning her craft at Bell Park.

Meanwhile, both John McCarty and Wilson played in the same under-12s team, combining for 18 wickets so far this year, according to Play Cricket statistics.

Lucie said she first got into the game about five years of age at the Torquay Tigers where her mother Danielle once played.

She loves hanging out with her friends and the fact you can do so many different things, even though bowling has been her specialty so far this season.

“My mum and dad are my mentors and they give me lots of encouragement,” Lucie said.

Meanwhile, Adela said she first learned about the game at three years of age.

“My dad told me the most important thing about sport is having fun, not always winning,” she said.

“Whenever I have a chance I practice.”

Danielle said most of the Jan Juc players were in their second season of playing together in the under-12s, with Adela tackling her inaugural season.

“All the girls’ confidence and skill has grown so much, particularly in their batting and ability to make runs, they’re currently undefeated as a result,” she said.

A B grade star has made the jump up to Geelong’s top cricketing tier with complete aplomb.

Geelong City bowler Bianca Summers is leading all senior women’s grades with the ball, grabbing seven wickets at an average of 4.4 in A Grade with the best figures of 4-10 in Round 3 against Lethbridge.

She said her most satisfying wicket of the seven was bowling Rosellas opener Suzana Ljubojevic for 20, as she was starting to build a strong stand with Chloe Smith on Sunday at Richmond Oval.

Summers was crowned B Grade’s top player in 23-24 but has made the jump to the As.

However, while Summers has starred with the ball, she says it’s the friendships she’s built with Sharks teammates and rivals that were the best parts of the game.

She first got involved in cricket around six years of age, going to watch her brother Paul play under-11s.

“When they were short one game they asked if I could fill in and since that day I have continued to fill in for his teams whenever they were short,” Summers said.

“I started playing girls cricket with Geelong City when I was 11 and debut in the senior women’s team the weekend after my 13th birthday (in November, 2021).”

The 16-year-old said her brother, Adam Rolfe and Chris “Chief” Bambury had been great mentors so far in her cricketing journey, learning the value of staying positive while batting.

“(Paul) has helped me understand how to become a better player and took me under his wing when I filled in for his teams,” she said.

She said a hard pre-season, which involved bowling to City’s senior men’s team and different types of batters, had prepared her well.

Originally published as Former Test batter Meg Lanning inspires the next generation at Queenscliff Cricket Club