Mortlake to introduce inaugural women's team in Warrnambool and District Cricket Association

Tilley, who is heavily involved in women's sport in the south-west, currently serving as Warrnambool's football coach - is helping launch the team to play in the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association.

It would make the WDCA's booming women's competition a potential seven-team competition in season 2023-24.

She served as a player last season for Bookaar's women's cricket team which went on to win the premiership in the Colac and District association.

"It's so important for our growth and it looks great for us as a club to allow access to that and provide those opportunities," she told The Standard. "We couldn't quite get it up and running last season so I thought I'd come in and give it a crack and we've had some great interest which is exciting."

Tilley said the club had long held an ambition to launch a women's team.

"The original discussion was when Mortlake entered the Warrnambool league and part of the growth of the club was to eventually bring in a women's team into the competition as well," she said."The transition into the Warrnambool league gives us the opportunity to bring in a women's team and hopefully in the future junior girls as well."

She said the club was in talks with a number of players and hoped to be in a position to announce a player-coach and list in coming weeks.

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