WINGHAM cricketer Maitlan Brown will make her debut for the Melbourne Renegades in the opening round of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) on Saturday at North Sydney Oval.
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Melbourne will meet Adelaide Strikers, with the match to show broadcast live on Network Ten.
The 19-year-old bowling all-rounder sealed a contract with the Renegades after being spotted playing for ACT.
Brown has had a gap year in 2016 hoping to get a start with a WBBL franchise and was spotted by the Renegades playing for ACT in a trial game against Victoria. She linked with ACT after initially missing a start with NSW. Brown was later offered a place in the NSW squad, but opted to stay with the Canberra-based team.
“I thought I’d get more exposure playing for ACT,’’ she explained.
Brown has been preparing with the squad in Melbourne and said the next two months will be ‘pretty full on,’ with a busy playing and training schedule.
“I think I only get about three days off in December,’’ she said.
There’ll also be plenty of travel involved.
“I’ll even be flying on Christmas day,’’ she said.
Eight sides play in the WBBL including two from Melbourne – the Renegades and the Melbourne Stars. Sydney Thunder won the inaugural title last season.
Melbourne Renegades are based at Etihad Stadium.
The Renegades struggled last season, finishing in last place. however, Brown said the franchise will be strengthened with the acquisition of a number of experienced players this campaign.
Brown said she ‘can’t wait’ for the season to start.
“It’s going to be a great opportunity to play with and against some great cricketers,’’ she said.
Brown, from Wingham, created history in Manning cricket two seasons ago when she became the first women to play in a premiership winning first grade side with United. She has represented NSW at under 18 level after starting to play cricket as a schoolgirl in the Manning juniors. She’s an opening bowler and handy lower order batter.
Renegades head coach Lachlan Stevens said the squad was shaping up well.
“We've had such an exciting off-season in terms of shaping our playing ideology and group dynamic for WBBL|02. This team will play a brave, fun and exciting brand of T20 cricket. I can't wait to watch them go about their work,” Stevens said.
He said Brown is a member of a ‘young and exciting group’.
