Female participation numbers in cricket across the country have risen rapidly in recent years and 18-year-old Alex Patten has been part of that movement.
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Patten played plenty of representative cricket at a junior level and her experience has seen her called up to a captaincy role in Armidale’s senior competition.
It was an exciting new challenge. I was a bit scared at the beginning but I knew there were people there to help me out if I needed it on the team.
- Alex Patten
Very few women have skippered a side in the graded competition and Patten is the third in cricket association president Mike Porter’s memory – with Georgie Morgan and Debbie Walford leading sides throughout their cricket careers.
Patten took charge of Ex-Services’ second grade team in the clash with the Barbarians on Saturday.
“It was an exciting new challenge,” she said.
“I was a bit a bit scared at the beginning but I knew there were people there to help me out if I needed it on the team.
“They are also a great bunch of guys so there wasn't any problems.
“It was just another day of cricket really.”
Patten has more than earned the captaincy role with stints at high level competition.
She began cricket at primary school level in Tamworth and has since made her way up through the representative ranks.
She’s been part of the NSW Cricket Academy and in February this year pulled on the Blues stripes at the National Indigenous Cricket Championships in Alice Springs.
The Armidale second and third grade competition is full of juniors vying for an opportunity in first grade.
“Honestly the Barbarians and Servies second grade sides played really well over the weekend,” she said.
“Having juniors on the team changed the feel of the game and they really stepped up and performed which is always great to see.”
Despite the young mix of players among both squads, Patten said there was plenty of experience on hand to show her the ropes.
“I had Rennie Miller help guide me as well which was great to have an experienced player help me out,” she said.
Should Friday’s forecasted downpours not come to fruition, Patten will captain the side again this Saturday when they play Armidale City.