Dane van Niekerk is already living her dream.
She travels the world playing cricket professionally, and next month, the South African leg-spinner will tick off another life goal - walking out at the MCG.
"I just want to leave a mark," she said.
“I want someone to look up to me and say that's what I want to do that's how I want to be one day.”
The 22-year old is settling into life as a Melbournian, after being recruited by the Renegades for the inaugural Women's Big Bash League.
She debuted internationally for South Africa at just the age of 15, and since then has set records in the country in wicket taking and at the crease. But she said women's cricket in Australia is a different experience
Dane van Niekerk Source: SBS News
"They're leaders in developing women's cricket and getting the brand out there,” she said.
“South Africa is still at the beginning stages where we're just trying to get girls to play cricket and get into cricket."
Starting last weekend, the competition promises a standard of women's cricket not seen since the World Cup.
Melbourne Renegades chief executive Stuart Coventry said the elite level of the competition has female players from across the globe wanting to sign up.
"It's the best talent in the world, and most women put their hands up to play in the women's Big Bash because it's the best competition in T20 at the moment," he said.
"We have a huge list of women who want to be called in if a player is injured."
While crowd numbers for the opening matches of the series were underwhelming, Cricket Australia's Mike McKenna said the women's Big Bash is seen as the next big step in the evolution of women's cricket.
"Crowds are not something we're going to measure,” he said.
“There are no expectations around crowd numbers. The whole purpose of the league is to inspire girls to play cricket.”
And there has never been a better time for it.
Dane van Niekerk said playing cricket professionally is now a real option for women.
"The life I'm living now, seeing the world and playing cricket, I want other people to believe there is actually a future in cricket."
Share
