After hitting the winning runs from the final ball for NSW Country to claim the Country Championships last weekend in Port Macquarie, Gunnedah cricketer Emily Leys thought her weekend couldn’t get any better, but on Sunday it did.
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Just before she hit the beach her phone rang with the message that she had been selected to represent her state.
“I didn’t expect it at all,” Leys said.
“It is such a tough team to break into.”
The batting allrounder is not wrong.
The team has won nine Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) titles in a row and contains the likes of Ellyse Perry and Tamworth’s own Erin Osborne.
The 21-year-old said she grew up idolising some of the players in the side and dreaming of one day wearing the sky blue herself.
“If you are in the Breakers squad you are considered one of the best cricketers in the world,” Leys said.
“Being the young one in the side, I don’t have much pressure on me. I just want to have fun with it and enjoy being in the middle.”
She certainly enjoyed it on Saturday for NSW Country in Port Macquarie.
Going in at number six, NSW Country needed 20 runs from 20 balls to beat NSW City.
Western’s Amy Edgar was at the other end as the girls needed 10 from the final over.
Edgar hit a single, with Country needing seven for victory.
A wide was followed by a lofted off drive that cleared the fielders and hit the fence.
“I hit a cheeky single to fine leg to finish,” Leys said.
The former Calrossy student learnt to pay cricket the hard way, with three brothers in the backyard when the family lived in Narrabri.
Local teacher Ian McGregor took her under his wing.
“He taught me everything I know about the game,” Leys said.
After going through the NSW U15 and U18 development squads, Leys finished school and went to Sydney Uni to study physio, while playing grade cricket for Gordon.
“It has been a long pre-season and I can’t wait to get out there,” Leys said.
“The goal now is to play as many games for NSW as I can. Everything else is a bonus.”
The NSW Breakers will take on the ACT Meteors tomorrow afternoon at 3pm and then again on Sunday morning at 10am in Blacktown.