‘I just hope this is our year’: Shepparton United A-grade women’s captain Lia Beecroft excited to take on grand final challenge

While a lot of different girls from all walks of life have come to the club and donned the famous blue and maroon, there is one that stands out from the pack.

Lia Beecroft, who now captains the A-grade side, had played and loved cricket for her entire life, so when she heard a local club was starting a women’s side she jumped at the chance.

Now some four years later she is set to lead that club onto the grand final stage, something she said filled her with an immense sense of pride.

“I think it is fantastic, the girls have worked so hard every season from the onset of the women’s team beginning at Shepparton United,” Beecroft said.

“We have just built, improved and gotten stronger every year, so I don’t think we can be any more ready for a grand final than what we are.

“We’ve got a great group of girls, everyone rallies around and supports each other and every time we step out onto the field we have so much fun, it is fantastic to be involved in.”

The group itself is made up of girls of all ages, backgrounds and ability.

Beecroft said it was their shared love of cricket that makes it a real family atmosphere and enjoyable to be a part of.

“This season was the first we’ve had the two teams, we’ve got players right through from having never played before to people who have played their entire lives, so it is a great spread to have,” she said.

“There is a range of personality and different ages and we have the one common interest of playing cricket that brings all of us together.

“It is definitely a family atmosphere.”

The biggest hurdle for the United girls to overcome this season did not occur on the field.

Rather it was the flood event that left Princess Park engulfed in water for more than two weeks, forcing them to a temporary home at Central Park.

“We’ve done surprisingly well to be honest, we were all set after a long pre-season and ready to get into it when the floods first hit, so there was certainly a bit of an unknown to begin with,” Beecroft said.

“We lost our home and had to make the shift to Central Park for our home games and St Brendan’s for training, so there was a bit for us to adjust too.

“But the girls have just battled on and improved every single game which has been great to see.”

So what would a premiership win mean for the United girls?

According to Beecroft the benefits will span well beyond the walls of Shepparton United Cricket Club.

“It would just be fantastic, we have spent the past four to five years building up to this point and I just hope this is our year,” she said.

“Having brought in a B-grade team this year and with hopes of bringing in under-17s the program is certainly going in the right direction.

“What I hope our success does is inspire other clubs around the region to start a women’s team and we can get a local competition started.”