Sport
20 June, 2025
Trio shines on and off the pitch
THREE of Corangamite Shire’s best young female cricketers have started training with elite squads in the lead-up to the 2025/26 season.
Pomborneit’s Charlotte Richardson and Isla Spokes, as well as Bookaar’s Stella Hinds, have already been in action at sessions in Geelong and Hamilton in recent weeks.
Spokes, a talented batter and wicketkeeper, is in both the Western Waves under 15 girls squad training in Hamilton and the Geelong CC under 15 Marg Downey squad and has had one session at each.
“I’m really excited, it’s a great opportunity to mix with the best players,” Spokes said.
“It’s great to be at really good facilities with highly qualified coaches.”
A highlight for Spokes was having Victorian, and former Heytesbury cricketer Milly Illingworth, at the Geelong session helping to run drills.
Spokes has a busy sporting schedule, mixing her representative cricket commitments with hockey for the Corangamite Lakers and netball at Kolora-Noorat.
“I’m really enjoying my cricket opportunities, I will have to work out how I will fit everything in.”
For Pomborneit all-rounder Charlotte Richardson, this is her second year in the Marg Downey under 15 squad at Geelong.
Cricket is the main sport for the 14 year-old.
“I love it, the travel doesn’t worry me, cricket is my game,” Richardson said.
“It’s great to have Isla and Stella here with me; last year I was also lucky enough to have (Pomborneit all-rounder) Lucia Clarke at Geelong as well, it’s much easier to go with others you know.”
Both Spokes and Richardson made their senior cricket debuts in the Pomborneit Maroon senior women’s team last season, an experience Richardson enjoyed.
“The Maroon team was very welcoming, they made us feel very much a part of it and personally I learnt so much playing senior cricket.”
Bookaar all-rounder Charlotte Hinds, like Spokes, is also in both the Western Waves and Geelong CC under 15 training squads.
“I’ve really enjoyed the variety of different drills we’ve got to do so far,” Hinds said.
Hinds, also a junior netballer for Camperdown, played her cricket last season across Bookaar’s under 17 girls and under 13 boys teams and is looking forward to another busy season.
“I’m keen to play lots of junior cricket again, it would be great to make one of the final representative squads.”
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