Glen Alvie to debut its inaugural women’s cricket team

by Tayla Kershaw

GLEN Alvie Cricket Club will enter a women’s team in the 2024/25 competition.

The club is excited to have garnered enough interest to form a team this season, having had a long history of female participants over the years.

“We’ve always had female players, going way back to when Kearny Hull was playing here,” club president David Hynes said.

“She was a bit of a trailblazer playing out there. We also had an all-female U14s side a few years ago.”

Of that U14s side, most of the girls have moved on and played cricket elsewhere.

The remaining teammate is Gaby Hynes, who has driven the push for a women’s side and will be the captain/coach of this season’s team.

“Having a women’s side really opens up a lot of opportunities for us,” David said.

“Gaby has been instrumental. She made a deal with the Breakers players and went out there to play footy for them if some came out to play cricket, so we’ll be calling the team the Glen Alvie Breakers.

“Gaby has always loved cricket. She has varying experiences from playing in the Gippsland Pride to being selected for teams in Dandenong. She also captained our male C Grade side to a semi-final two seasons ago.”

Glen Alvie has seen around nine players at pre-season training and will be looking to include up to 13 players in the squad, including a combination of mothers and daughters.

David said the club is thrilled with the way the sport has continued to grow in Glen Alvie.

“We’re the club with no town, but we’ve always had the mantra that we are a family club – everyone is welcome, everyone is included,” he said.

“I think the experience of having a female side coming out there is just going to add to that.”

The club has rallied together to upgrade the changerooms to ensure everyone feels safe and welcome when they come out to play.

“We’re just really excited about the opportunities this will bring and how it will boost the club. It’s going to be a benefit for everyone. We’re really committed to making sure that our women’s team is as much a part of the club as any other team,” he said.