ANIKA Learoyd has played her first few games in the best domestic women’s cricket competition in the world.

The Corindi Beach cricketer has been part of the Sydney Thunder squad who have taken part in the current season of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).

The 19-year-old has played 6 matches for the Thunder this season, scoring 58 runs against some of the best women’s players in the world

Learoyd made an instant impact in her first game for the Thunder scoring 23 runs in their opening game of the season against the Adelaide Strikers last month.

Learoyd was first signed by the Thunder in 2020, and while she was named in the starting XI for two matches that season, they were both washouts meaning she had to wait until this year to make her WBBL debut.

After waiting a whole season to make her WBBL debut, she shared with News Of The Area the excitement she felt taking the field for her first game.

“I certainly was pumped, and although I didn’t play last year, I still managed to learn a lot throughout the duration of the tournament, so to be able to finally put it all into practice was very surreal,” she said.

The Thunder rookie explained the big step up to the WBBL after playing in the NSW Women’s Premier Cricket competition.

“There are a few big differences, the first being that the WBBL is a much higher standard and is therefore also much more professional,” she said.

“We have a number of scouting meetings where we discuss the other team’s strengths and weaknesses and our plans against them.

“The calibre of players is also another big one, it is the world’s highest quality women’s domestic tournament and has a number of international players playing for each team.”

With a number of WBBL matches under her belt, the young batswoman said she was starting to feel like she belonged at the top level.

“I do have a few pinch myself type moments and am very grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to be able to go out and play against my idols,” she said.

“I’m also beginning to get the feeling like I belong too.”

Having grown up in Corindi Beach, the talented prospect recalled her busy weekends travelling to play cricket which no doubt helped to make her the player she is today.

“Dad used to drive me the 1200km round trip every weekend,” she said.

“We’d go down to Newcastle every Friday afternoon to train with my coach, stay the night there at Nan’s before I played all day Saturday in the Newcastle competition.

“Then we’d head to Sydney on Sunday morning to play in the women’s grade competition before driving home that night.”

 

By Aiden BURGESS