Steph Townsend has been rewarded for years of dominance in Victorian Premier Cricket, earning selection in the Victorian squad for its pair of Women's National Cricket League clashes with NSW on Tuesday and Thursday.
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Townsend, 31, a former Victorian rookie, has been named as the 12th player for the first match against the Breakers.
The selection is a fitting reward for the Warrnambool native, who has scored 363 runs at an average of 36.3 this year across all forms for Geelong in its inaugural women's premier cricket first-grade campaign.
The champion all-rounder is a two-time first-grade premiership winner with Melbourne and starred in the Cats' 2022-23 second-grade flag which saw the club earn promotion to the top level.
Geelong women's coach Stephen Field has seen Townsend's development over the years firsthand and was thrilled to see her called up.
"Her last season in premier ones in Melbourne (2021-22) she had a great season, top-scored in the grand final of a premiership win for them and obviously last year for us all season she was very consistent," he said.
"And her start to this season, particularly in the one-dayers, she's basically been the top or second top run-scorer in the competition. She's been outstanding and mixing it with some bowling and some wicket-keeping as well."
Field said Townsend had made huge sacrifices in recent years which made the call-up even more special.
"What she has done (is immense). Almost giving up her career if you like last year to go and play seconds cricket to enable Geelong to create this pathway for all the girls throughout the south-west," he said.
"It would not have happened if it wasn't for Steph doing that, there's no question. Right in the peak of her powers. She took that step totally unselfishly for the development of the game.
"So it's actually a beautiful bit of karma now she gets the opportunity to enjoy some of the fruits of her labour as well."
On the other side of 30, Townsend may have thought the opportunity to represent her state had passed her by.
Field however suggested women, like men, can find their best form after 30 and said she was "at the peak of her powers".
"Most batters, especially if you're talking about men, describe the peak of their careers from 35 to 36, around that area," he said.
"The only reason that hasn't been the case with a lot of women is of course they go and have children or they start a family or they're working and things.
"So now the game's becoming more professional and women are getting more opportunities. And really Steph is at the peak of her powers in terms of batting, she's batting beautifully and she's probably close to if not the best fielder in premier cricket, as well as other avenues with the ball as well."
Matt Hughes
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
