Hawkesbury cricketer Naomi Stalenberg is excited for her “home game” at Penrith this Sunday in the opening Women’s Big Bash League match.
Stalenberg, who grew up in the Hawkesbury, but plays cricket for the Penrith Cricket Club, will walk onto Howell Oval on Sunday, hoping her last innings with the bat is a sign of things to come.
Stalenberg was the top scorer for the New South Wales Breakers in the Women’s National Cricket League at the weekend, as the team went down to a determined South Australian outfit.
NSW had been shooting for 11 titles in a row, but South Australia were too good on Sunday, though Stalenberg gave it her best shot to stop them.
She blasted 58 off 38 balls after coming in down the order, with NSW in a dire situation.
“It was good to get a good score for myself but I wasn't batting for me I was batting for the team,” she said.
“To not quite get over the line was pretty disappointing. Our girls just couldn't get away for a good start.
“When I came to the crease, I didn't really try to go from ball one but I did go hard and try to hit boundaries because it was the only way we were going to chase the total.
“I didn't even realise what I was on I was just trying to get runs.”
Despite the weekend loss, Stalenberg said she could not wait for the first match of the WBBL season.
“I am really excited to be playing in front of a home crowd,” she said.
“I am trying to get plenty of people down there for the game. Being familiar with my surrounding will really help with my performance in the game as well.”
With just a week to prepare for the start of the WBBL competition from the WCNFL final, Stalenberg said she hoped her 58 run knock was a good omen for the big bash competition, where she is expected to play a big role for the Thunder.
“I feel happy with the way I am hitting the ball,” she said.
“It is good to build some momentum going into the T-20 competition.
“I don't really know where I am going to bat in the team. Training just started on Tuesday. I don't really know how the team will look.”
The womens Sydney Thunder’s first match will be played on Sunday at Howell Oval in Penrith.
The match will be played against the Sydney Sixers and will start at 2.30pm.
