Victorian women set to join men's ranks

Big-hitting batter Jess Cameron and wicketkeeper Emma Inglis are set to take on the men in Victorian grade cricket this summer.

The pair will make history as the first women to play in a Prahran men’s XI in Victorian Premier Cricket, with Commonwealth Bank VicSpirit representative Inglis to make her debut as early as next week.

“(Prahran coach) Peter Di Venuto approached us and asked us if we’d like to play with the men’s teams,” Inglis, 27, told cricket.com.au.

“We’ll start off in the thirds and fourths and play a few games for them this season.

“They were short a couple of players, so instead of trying to find someone else from outside the club Peter thought he’d look in the women’s ranks.

“Jess and I were the two he thought could hold our own in that competition. We’re both looking forward to giving it a go.”

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Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars batter Cameron will be in Western Australia for much of the summer, having signed with the Alcohol. Think Again Western Fury and the Perth Scorchers, but will also line up for Prahran when available.

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Women playing the Victorian men’s league is a rare occurrence, but it’s not totally unprecedented.

In the 1990s, several women played lower grade matches for North Melbourne, Richmond and St Kilda, while the last woman to take on the men in Victorian Premier Cricket was fast bowling legend Catherine Fitzpatrick, who played one Twenty20 for Dandenong in 2006-07.

When not on state or international duties, both Inglis and Cameron play for Prahran’s women’s first XI and are accustomed to training with the men they will soon be playing alongside.

“All last season both Jess and myself, and few other girls, would face the men in the nets or bowl to them, so I think we’ll be comfortable with them,” Inglis said.

“Obviously the pace and bounce will be a little more than against the girls, but this is only going to improve our skills and our decision making.

“It was announced to the team a few weeks ago and all the guys were very encouraging.”

Inglis said she had played one senior men’s match previously, lining up with Brunswick for a T20 in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association two years ago.

In 2010, allrounder Ellyse Perry became the first woman to play Sydney grade cricket against men, when she opened the bowling and took 2-14 from four overs in an under-21 Twenty20 match against Blacktown.

Southern Stars opener Nicole Bolton has played in men's teams for Subiaco Floreat Cricket Club, earning a promotion to their second XI for her efforts.

Over in England it’s a bit more common, a few of the English girls play in men’s competitions,” Inglis said.

England international Kate Cross was the first woman to play in the Central Lancashire League earlier this year, posting remarkable figures of 8-47 for Heywood Cricket Club.