Getting a call to offer her a spot on the Sydney Sixers Women’s Big Bash League side was a day Caoimhe Bray admits she won’t soon forget.
The 15-year-old was preparing to take part in the New South Wales Pathways program that would have seen her doing some training with the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder sides, but instead she was offered a three-year contract.
“They called mum and I was in the corner of my room with my mouth wide open, like ‘no way, no way’, I was not expecting this,” Caoimhe said.
Her first game with the side was against the Melbourne Renegades on October 27 and despite her first few deliveries resulting in a six and two fours, her last ball of that first over resulted in an important wicket for the team.
“When the coach told me that I was gonna be debuting, I was obviously super excited, but I wasn’t necessarily nervous,” Caoimhe said, adding that once she got out there her heart rate did pick up a bit.
“I got the ball quite a lot that game in the field, so it kind of helped the nerves a bit.
“I was super happy to be out there (batting) when we won the game, and I do love a good cover shot, so I was happy it to get it clean away.”
The excitement of the win rippled all the way from Adelaide Oval back to Caoimhe’s hometown of Denman where the community was tuned in to support her.
Denman Cricket Club are so proud of their superstar that they have organised a bus to attend this weekend’s game to show their support in person.
“I actually love it so much, I don’t think people realise how awesome I think it is when mum told me that there’s like 45 people from Denman coming down to watch a game,” she gushed.
“So many of them have been involved with me through my junior years of cricket, so it’s really awesome.”
The Women’s Big Bash League season will cram 10 games into the next month, then depending on the outcomes there is the finals run that will wrap up early December.
-JEM ANSHAW
