North Gosford’s 19-year-old Lauren Smith was selected to play for the NSW Lend Lease Breakers in the Women’s National Cricket League for the second consecutive year.
“This was my second year so I definitely feel like I have secured a spot in the team and I am definitely looking to play for the women’s national team in the future,” Ms Smith said.
There are six state teams in the national women’s competition and, last year, the Breakers won both the national league and the T20 competitions. This year the season ran from early October until late November and the NSW side won every game convincingly with one exception.
They were beaten in their second-round match against the South Australian Scorpions who beat them by one wicket. The WNCL final was played at Hurstville on November 29 between the two outstanding sides, the SA Scorpions and the NSW Breakers. Unfortunately this year the Breakers were defeated by South Australia.
However, Lauren Smith’s season had some notable highlights including scoring the winning run in the opening game against Western Australia. In their match against Queensland at the beginning of November, Lauren was bowling when Courtney Hill was caught out by Ellyse Perry.
Against Tasmania, which the Breakers won by 33 runs, Lauren bowled out Katelyn Fryett and her bowling was instrumental in getting two other wickets in the 45th and 47th overs in combination with the fielding work of Alyssa Healy.
Again, in the match against Tasmania, Lauren Smith’s bowling was instrumental in the dismissal of Bardsley for one run (LBW) and Churchland for a duck, so the Breakers were able to get the whole ACT side out by the 47th over for 192.
Lauren has been playing cricket since the age of seven and was introduced to the game by her brothers who are somewhat jealous now that she is officially the best cricketer in the family. She considers herself an all-rounder with bowling as a strength and she is mainly an off-spinner.
Ms Smith said she was excited to be a part of the Breakers but acknowledges the competition was tough, describing her time with the Breakers as “special and crazy”.
As one of the youngest players in the NSW side, Lauren’s aspirations to be considered for national selection depended on how the Breakers perform throughout the competition.
“It is a great time for younger girls coming up through the ranks,” she said. Lauren plays her club cricket for the Northern Districts women’s grade but growing up, her Central Coast club was always Umina District.
Website, Dec 14, 2015
Live.cricket.com.au
Interview, Oct 13, 2015
Lauren Smith, NSW
Breakers
Jackie Pearson, journalist