A composite side representing the best that Goulburn Murray Cricket’s native sides have to offer will travel to Mooroopna Recreation Reserve to face a team comprised of the Cricket Shepparton clubs’ top talents in the first of a two-game series.
Whether this technically counts as interleague — given their different regional affiliations — or intra-league on account of playing in the same competition remains a mystery.
More importantly than that, though, it’s a new frontier for the league’s premier performers to put their prowess on show in a time where opportunities are rapidly expanding for women and girls in the sport within this area.
It’s quite a stacked pair of sides as well, just quietly.
Goulburn Murray women’s interleague - Cricket Shepparton squad
Sophie Ullah, Phoebe Hawker, Mel Saunders, Dianne Poole, Alex Randell (Shepparton Youth Club United), Bella Woods, Amelia Gall, Amani Issell (Mooroopna), Amber Langham, Sharay Slivarich, Breanna Davison, Kait Carracher, Kayla Shepherd (Nagambie)
Between the two teams, five of the current top six on the league’s Champion Player leaderboard are expected to feature, with only Gemma Boyd of Mooroopna — the clubhouse leader — not listed.
Reigning premier Echuca naturally has the equal-most names on the board in the GMC’s extended squad, with no fewer than seven members of the green machine making the cut, matched by Rochester’s tally with the final team due to be trimmed between now and Friday.
Cricket Shepparton’s 13-woman team, however, looks star-studded at every turn with three of the realm’s four clubs — Mooroopna, Shepparton Youth Club United and Nagambie — sending representatives.
The Lakers’ own Blair Taylor-Lloyd will take on coaching duties for Cricket Shepparton’s side on Friday as well as on the return leg, scheduled for Echuca’s Victoria Park on Friday, January 17.
Organiser and Nagambie president Ryan Matthews outlined how the friendly match came to be.
“The idea was picked up out of a meeting with the GMC about the women’s comp,” Matthews said.
“We were throwing around ideas around rules and how the season will look and the question came up about a rep game with GMC and Cricket Shepparton.
“We thought we’d like to showcase the best talent from our region to take on them and it went on from there.”
It’s been a collaborative effort between the three contending local clubs, with Kyabram advising that nobody would be available from the Redbacks.
“I started a group chat with Mel Saunders and Jeff Vandermeer to get the ball rolling,” Matthews said.
“Our girls really get on well with the Shepp girls. We had training this week so that by Friday, they all know each other.
“They’re all in a group chat and they’ve all been excited to train together, so it’ll be interesting to see on Friday.”
With a competitive edge sure to fuel the fire as players quickly disperse to resume competition with their home clubs this weekend, Matthews is confident the locals have what it takes to forge supremacy.
“I believe we can match it with them,” Matthews said.
“I’m not taking away from the GMC, with Echuca having won the grand final and having some players in the top 10, but our girls are all looking forward to it.
“In Blair’s first season coaching, we only just barely lost a final and we’re now sitting second this season.
“He’s a good communicator and definitely the right fit for the job.”
