Tara Murray
Winning one premiership is pretty special, but for Greenvale Kangaroos’ Ellie Liron she tasted premiership glory three times in the matter of a week.
The young star was part of the Kangaroos’ North West Metropolitan Cricket Association under-13 and under-15 premierships girls sides, as well as part of the club’s women’s side that won the Cricket Victoria Community Cricket north-west A one-day premiership.
Liron said it was a pretty exciting time having won all three premierships.
The 12-year-old said she didn’t expect to win all three matches.
She started with the under-15 grand final which finished in a tie with Pascoe Vale Had, with both sides awarded the premiership.
Liron said she wasn’t sure if they would win that grand final and thought she played really well.
It was followed by the senior women’s grand final. Liron was the 12th man, but fielded for the whole innings, with a teammate getting injured while batting.
Liron said she never imagined playing in the senior team at such a young age.
“I’m not even a teenager yet,” she said. “I was pretty nervous as it’s pretty hard and I’m proud of myself.
“It was exciting playing my friends and playing with my coach Catherine Morrow. She’s like my second mum.”
To cap off the hat-trick, Liron played in the under-13 grand final.
Liron made 13 and took two wickets as the Kangaroos beat Aberfeldie Perry.
She said this one was easier than the others, but she was playing with a lot of her friends.
Liron took the under-13 competition bowling award and finished second in the fielding award.
The three grand finals caps off a busy season for Liron.
“It has been fun, but exhausting,” she said.
“Six days a week I’m playing or training for cricket. It’s been a good experience.”
Liron is among the growing number of young girls taking the sport up at a young age. She started when she was six after watching her brother play.
She has since played in two representative grand finals.
Liron has been part of the Kangaroos senior program the last couple of years.
She had been playing with her mum and aunty in the second side.
Liron said while it was fun playing with her aunty, her mum would sometimes yell at her for mucking around.
Liron’s mum Olivia Liron said Ellie was really excited when she got the opportunity to play in the top side.
“She never expected it this season,” Olivia said.
“She as saying that she didn’t want to, but when Catherine asked for one game, she enjoyed and had so much fun.”
Ellie said during the off season she would continue to do training sessions. She said she would love to play for Australia when she grows up.
Kangaroos president Bruce Kent said Ellie’s achievements just shows the strength of the female program that has been established at the club.
“She’s the youngest one of a really talented bunch of young girls,” he said.
“Ellie stood out as she won the under-13s, under-15s and senior women’s grand final, which is quite a remarkable feet. I’m not sure if it has been done before.
“In the senior team, we had something like five or six girls under-15.”
Kent said they were hoping to go up to the shield competition, with the long term view to have a women’s premier side.
He said being in the shield competition would make them the highest ranked club in the region.
“In such a short space of time, we’ve been able to attract some really talented girls and they’ve got a pathway. We hope to move into premier cricket.
“If we can achieve that over the next few years it will be a remarkable success story.
“All these young girls in the under-15s and Ellie in the under-13’s, are all young enough to be part of that journey.”
