Longwarry set to welcome WBBL player to side on Saturday
Longwarry’s division six women’s team will welcome Melbourne Stars’ WBBL player Bhavisha Devchand into the side when they face Catani at home on Saturday afternoon. Devchand was born in Zimbabwe to Indian parents before moving to Australi...
Longwarry’s division six women’s team will welcome Melbourne Stars’ WBBL player Bhavisha Devchand into the side when they face Catani at home on Saturday afternoon.
Devchand was born in Zimbabwe to Indian parents before moving to Australia when she was eight and began playing cricket in WA for the Western Fury, before moving to Victoria and joining the Ringwood Cricket Club.
She’s now an integral part of the Melbourne Stars WBBL squad and Longwarry Cricket Club secretary Randall Mitchell said having Bhavisha come and join their inaugural women’s side is a huge positive for the club and team.
“She’s a legend and knows how important grassroots cricket is for girls and wants to make them feel more welcome and help grow that pathway,” he said.
After some behind the scenes work, the club secured Devchand to play, as well as former Australian international player Sarah Elliott who will take up the role of coach on Saturday afternoon.
Elliott, who scored a hundred for Australia against England in the 2013 Ashes series, has come on board to help the side who will be hungry for their first win of the season against Catani.
The day will see a cricket clinic run by Sarah from 12:15pm, with all welcome to come and join in, before the match kicks off at 1pm at the Longwarry Primary School.
The addition of Devchand to the side and Elliott coaching on Saturday will also give captain Erin Maxwell and the team an opportunity to learn from a player at the elite level.
“We’re really excited to have her come down and help encourage the girls to keep going and provide some more motivation," Maxwell said.
The day is one the club hopes will give girls the opportunity to see what it’s like to play cricket and maybe even sign up.
“I think just off the back of what we’ve done so far, we hope others come and watch and sign up to play.
“We’re keen to be the leader in the area and hopefully see other clubs jump on board and in the future, see a women’s competition start,” Mr Mitchell said.
