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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Lanie Tindale

'Phenomenal': Ashes Test inspires Canberra girls

Western District Cricket Club players Chloe McGann, 14, Aishwarya Shakhar, 17, Rachel Carroll, 14, and Catherine Diedricks, 13, are keen to watch their cricketing idols in the women's Test at Manuka Oval. Picture: Keegan Carroll

As Australian cricket greats like Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry and Meg Lanning tackle England in the Women's Ashes Test from Thursday, there will be potential future players cheering from the Manuka Oval stands.

Western District Cricket Club players Chloe McGann, Rachel Carroll, Catherine Diedricks and Aishwarya Shakhar said they cannot wait to see their idols play in their hometown.

The Commonwealth Bank has provided several local women's and girls' teams tickets to watch the Ashes over the summer.

Aspiring professional fast bowler Chloe is looking forward to watching Stella Campbell send down an over; Rachel can't wait to see Healy's "phenomenal" batting, while 17-year-old Aishwarya Shakhar is a big admirer of Lanning.

"I really like Meg Lanning's captaincy, she's just so impressive. And when we saw her talking, she's just so composed and really good at what she's doing," Aishwarya said.

Western District Cricket Club players Chloe McGann, 14, Rachel Carroll, 14, Catherine Diedricks, 13 and Aishwarya Shakhar, 17, have tickets to the women's Test at Manuka Oval. Picture: Keegan Carroll

She said she was inspired to join by watching women play cricket.

Many of the young players train every day of the week, and aspire to be professional cricketers. Chloe plays for the junior girls, under 15s, under 16s, under 19s; and women's first and second grades for Western District.

Catherine, 13, also wants to play professionally and said Cricket ACT provides a strong pathway for girls.

"I would like to go professional and I think the pathway we have definitely helps us to achieve that goal," she said.

Woolworths Cricket Blasters Finnegan Harding, 7, Sidney Cleary, 6, Max Harding, 5, and Lucy Cleary, 7, will play in the break of the Ashes match. Picture: Keegan Carroll

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Long-term member of Western District and Chloe's father, Mathew McGann, said there's been a huge growth in women's cricket at the club in the past few years.

He said the live streaming of games had generated huge interest from Canberra girls and women in cricket.

"You can be what you can see now, and the exposure to the WBBL, the access the girls have to the junior rep programs and ... opportunities like this to be around the games, and having games come to Canberra is really good for the growth of the game," he said.

Mr McGann said there were a number of great young players in the ACT, and there was a "really healthy competition among the girls".

"They all appreciate each other's success, they all enjoy seeing each other succeed," he said.

"It's driving them to to be better players and better people."

Australian star Beth Mooney in the nets during practice on Wednesday, January 26. Picture: Keegan Carroll

Cricket Australia's Stuart Whiley said the organisation had seen huge growth in women and girls' membership in the last five years.

"We have seen tremendous growth in the number of girls picking up a bat and ball over the last five years, including at Western District Cricket Club," he said.

"The women's Ashes provides budding cricketers with the opportunity to get behind one of cricket's greatest rivalries, and ultimately it demonstrates the playing pathway for young girls."

Australia will face England in a four-day Test match from January 27-30 at Manuka Oval.

There will also be a group of youngsters, aged around five to seven, who will play in the lunch break at the Ashes match.

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