Hawkesdale cricket captain Tara Elliott faces delayed start to WDCA season due to illness

The Hawkesdale captain is recovering from glandular fever which damaged her liver and spleen and resulted in a week in hospital.

Elliott, 20, said she was on light duties as she regained her energy levels and was hopeful of returning to the pitch prior to Christmas.

The fast bowler will watch her team's Warrnambool and District Cricket Association fortunes from the sidelines until then, starting on Sunday with round one.

Elliott, who will move to Ballarat in the new year to study teaching, said she would use the break to enhance her leadership skills.

"For my captaining and leadership role it will probably be really beneficial to take that step back and watch everyone rather than worrying about my own performance," she said.

"I think it will annoy dad (coach Jason) - I will be in his ear a little bit more. I am looking forward to watching the other girls really flourish with more opportunities thrown their way."

The busy athlete - she plays netball, basketball and football too - said she started to feel sick with about five rounds of the Hampden league netball season remaining.

Elliott, who played goal shooter for Port Fairy, said she was now on the mend but understood it would be a gradual process.

"I feel fine; I just can't do too much without getting tired," she said.

"It will fix itself if I take care of myself. The only recovery I need to do is rest."

The hospital "was terrifying" as it was her first time needing serious medical attention.

"The glands and lymph-nodes in my neck were really inflamed and that's why I went and got checked," she said.

"I got to the point where I couldn't eat or breathe properly so mum took me to ED."

Elliott graduated from Warrnambool College at the end of 2019 and spent the following year working at the school as a trainee.

She is now juggling two jobs - in customer service at Brophy and at Subway - before moving to Ballarat for university in late February where she will study teaching at Federation University.

The plan is to join a netball club there and immerse herself in her new community in the winter months.

Elliott - one of five siblings - will then return home for the 2023-24 summer where she expects to play for Hawkesdale's women's cricket team again.

"I had always loved watching it but hadn't played until two years ago until I played with the Grassmere association team," she said.

"They were short on numbers and dad said 'why don't you go and give it a go?'. I did and loved it.

"Then there was the introduction of the Hawkesdale team last year. I could never think about not playing now."

She embraces the "family-friendly environment" the club offers.

"It's always fun yet competitive. I'd like to think we have that good balance," Elliott said.

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