After helping the ACT to up it's reputation at national carnivals last year, Bronwyn Calver won the Bronwyn Calver award as the ACT's best representative cricket player.
Not bad considering the former Australian and NSW representative had officially retired two years before.
But this year, the now 38-year-old will be back to do it all again in what could be one of the most important seasons ever for the ACT's female cricketers.
ACT Cricket has sent a letter of intent to Cricket Australia that it will put in an official bid for a team in the national women's league, for a likely entry into the competition in 2009.
Coach of the ACT Meteors, Martin Garoni said it is important to have Calver's support for the next generation of players.
''Definitely, to have Bronwyn around, especially for the younger players it's a fantastic thing for them to train with someone with so much experience, and then to actually play with her as well, it's a great experience,'' Garoni said.
It will be Calver's third season out of retirement. The first part of her career started in 1982, aged 13, and continued with the ACT until 1995.
She played 61 matches, scored 1518 runs and took 100 wickets. Calver then played for New South Wales from 1996 until 2004, where she played 80 games for 509 runs and 95 wickets.
Yesterday Calver and the winter training squad had their first official training hit-out, but even during all the push-ups, sit-ups and running, she was not regretting her decision to turn out for another year.
Calver said she just hoped to bring experience to the young squad.
''Consistency, I think I've been able to play consistently throughout my career and also bring experience and a bit of maturity as well,'' Calver said.
Calver said she will also play in the local women's Premier League.
The inaugural competition in 2007 featured four teams made up of the best players in Canberra and some from the Riverina, and it proved a hit on all levels.
''The whole concept is vital for us,'' Garoni said.
''It provides more cricket at a higher level and leading into national carnivals, I think we were more prepared after the competition.''
Kirsten Burrows and Vanessa Picker have been named in the Meteors squad after being part of the under-19 Emerging Meteors last season.
Melissa Campbell and Kirrily Boyd return to the squad while Kristy Williams joins from New South Wales.
Also named is Em Preston, who has this year been included in Australian emerging talent camps.
2008/09 ACT CRICKET METEORS TRAINING SQUAD: Jessica Bill, Kirsten Burrows, Bronwyn Calver, Elizabeth Howell, Amy Jason-Jones, Rebecca Maher, Rebecca McRae, Melissa Mills, Jessica Moyes, Kim Page, Vanessa Picker, Em Preston, Caitlin Rawstron, Lil Reppion, Hannah Stanley, Jamie Swaker, Kristy Williams, Kristen Woods, Melissa Campbell and Kirrily Boyd.
Email a friend
Favourites
Del.icio.us
Facebook
Digg
StumbleUpon
MySpace
Reddit
Newsvine
LinkedIn
Kwoff