Trailblazers bound for Alice

For the first time ever, the Victorian Imparja Cup team will consist of three girls, including Jacinta Goodger-Chandler and twins Ebony and Kiara Cuskelly.

Heading north in February, the girls will combine with female Indigenous cricketers from other states to play in an invitational team created by Cricket Australia.

Last Sunday, the girls joined Noogal Toengorrt Tani in its first training session ahead of the national tournament.

Fifteen-year-old East Ballarat cricketer Goodger-Chandler took the opportunity to fine-tune some of her skills against the best male Indigenous cricketers in the state. 

“The boys are really serious about cricket,” Goodger-Chandler said.

“I was nervous about coming out to bat, but I calmed down after the first ball.

“It was a really good experience.”

Currently playing in the Essteele Premier Seconds for Napoleons-Sebastopol and having recently represented Victoria at the Under-15 National Championships, Goodger-Chandler is aware of what it takes to be involved in competitive cricket.

For the past two years, she has also represented Central Highlands in the Under-14 VicSpirit Pathway Championships and will do so again in this season’s under-16 carnival.

For the future, Goodger-Chandler hopes to play for Australia, but for now, her focus will turn to the Imparja Cup where she and the Cuskelly twins will take a significant step in Victorian Indigenous cricket.