Melbourne Renegades skipper Amy Satterthwaite is excited for what the Eastern Oval pitch will offer up in Sunday’s Women’s Big Bash League clash with the Adelaide Strikers.
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The Renegades will be eager to get on the winner’s list after a disappointing season opener last week, which saw it muster just 98 runs against Sydney Thunder.
The Eastern Oval pitch is expected to be batsmen-friendly and Satterthwaite was looking forward to experiencing the Ballarat venue for the first time and eager to gather momentum towards the Renegades campaign.
“It will be nice to get on a wicket that is coming on and good for batters,” Satterthwaite told Melbourne Renegades media.
“It’s always nice, especially as a batter myself.
“The way we started the season was obviously disappointing and not how we wanted to start...but to get that momentum and get a couple of wins would be huge for us and bring a lot of confidence to the group.”
Satterthwaite spoke of the importance of bringing the game to regional places like Ballarat.
While getting a positive result was hugely important to the side, the added benefits of exposing regional areas to the top flight of Australia’s twenty20 women were massive.
“It’s really important to get out to the regional areas.
“I’m excited to see another part of Victoria.
“I haven’t been there personally...(but) to go out to the communities and get a lot of support from out there is really good for the team and the brand.
“We’ve seen the way the women’s game has grown...to get out to those regional areas and expose it to more people and get them to be able to come down and see it live is what it’s all about.”
Renegades will take on a confident Strikers outfit after it defeated Brisbane Heat by 36 runs.
The flow-on effect of getting a game of this calibre to Ballarat is well-recognised by the Ballarat players.
Ballarat Women’s Cricket Club president Jenna Fowlie is stoked to see the WBBL in her backyard.
The Ballarat Bolts have done their part in promoting the game, putting a team together to play in the Women’s Community Cricket competition, a state-level competition, this season and making it to the grand final of the twenty20 format.
“It’s huge,” Fowlie told The Courier.
“For a regional town, it is a bit far away from Melbourne so it doesn’t see that type of stuff, as often as others may.
“To create that exposure, it’s really important.
“There’s definitely some superstars that are going to be in the backyard of these young girls and boys.
“The Renegades have been amazing at promoting the game.”
The Bolts will take on Craigieburn in the grand final in the near future.
After some chopping and changing of the schedule, it is hoped a time can be found early next year to play.
Prior to the WBBL clash, beginning at 2.10pm, there will be a curtain raiser played from 10am.
The Central Highlands under-17 girls (Molineux XI) side will take on the best of Barwon and Western Waves (Wareham XI) – showcasing the next crop of talent coming through.
AT A GLANCE
MELBOURNE RENEGADES V MELBOURNE STRIKERS
at Eastern Oval,
Sunday, 2.10pm
- Free admission
- Gates open 10am
RENEGADES GREATER WESTERN CHALLENGE
- Molineux XI (Central Highlands) v Wareham XI (Western Waves/Barwon)
- starts 10am
CRICKET BLAST come-and-try session
- after WBBL match
SQUADS
RENEGADES
Amy Satterthwaite (c) - batsman, Maitlan Brown - bowler, Jess Duffin - batsman, Emma Inglis - wicketkeeper, Erica Kershaw - all-rounder, Claire Koski- all-rounder, Anna Lanning - all-rounder, Sophie Molineux - all-rounder, Molly Strano- all-rounder, Lea Tahuhu - bowler, Tayla Vlaeminck - all-rounder, Georgia Wareham - all-rounder, Courtney Webb - all-rounder, Danielle Wyatt - all-rounder
STRIKERS
Suzie Bates (c) - all-rounder, Samantha Betts - bowler, Sarah Coyte - all-rounder, Sophie Devine - all-ounder, Eliza Doddridge - all-rounder, Ellen Falconer - bowler, Danielle Hazell - bowler, Tahlia McGrath - all-rounder, Tegan McPharlin - wk, Bridget Patterson - batsman, Katelyn Pope - bowler, Alex Price - bowler, Tabath Saville - all-rounder, Megan Schutt - bowler, Amanda Wellington - bowler