KIRSTEN Smith is part of a wave of Upper Hunter talent that has made giant strides in the women’s game.
The Scone High School student recently returned from representing the ACT/NSW Country under-18s side at the national championships in Hobart.
The team finished third, with Smith putting in impressive individual performances. She had the sixth best batting aggregate of 181 runs, the leading overall strike rate of 122, and an average of 30.17.
“I was really stoked with how I went,” she said.
“I batted up the order and it was a great feeling to get some runs on the board.
“We had a great bunch of girls in our team and the coaching staff really worked well with us.
“Our coach was Leah Poulton, an ex-Australian player who opened the batting.
“It was a great experience to have someone who played at that level to guide us through nationals.”
Apart from Smith, the likes of neighbouring players Maisy Gibson and Taylah Knight have also caught the eye of selectors in recent times.
