The Sydney Sixers’ Community Round is a celebration of the heart and soul of cricket: the local clubs. It’s a vital acknowledgement that the elite players we cheer under the floodlights were once juniors with big dreams, playing on their suburban ovals. This year, the Sixers are spotlighting eight of their women’s stars, demonstrating that the pathway from local NSW grounds to the Women’s Big Bash League is vibrant and strong, and built on the tireless efforts of volunteers and dedicated families who kept the sport thriving at the grassroots level.
Ashleigh Gardner: Revesby Workers Cricket Club
Leading the charge are two of the most recognizable names in the sport. Captain Ashleigh Gardner began her incredible journey at the Revesby Workers Cricket Club, a powerful testament to the talent nurtured in the Bankstown area of Sydney. Her success, transitioning from junior cricket to a global star, is a story that inspires every young cricketer.
Alyssa Healy: Northern District Junior Cricket Association
She is joined by wicket-keeper Alyssa Healy, who developed her attacking game through the competitive Northern District Junior Cricket Association system, solidifying the Northern Sydney suburbs as a breeding ground for Australian captains.
Ellyse Perry: Hornsby Ku-ring-gai
The legacy of all-rounder Ellyse Perry is inextricably linked to her Sydney origins, having developed her game in the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai area. Her journey from local prodigy to one of the game’s greatest ever players shows the strength of the development structures in place. Alongside her is the versatile Erin Burns, who is a well-known figure in the local Sydney Premier Cricket scene, with her success reflecting the resilience and high standards required to climb the pathway from local grade competition to the professional ranks.
Lauren Cheatle: Bowral
The Sixers also proudly feature players who have emerged from the wider NSW regions. Pace bowler Lauren Cheatle is a success story from the Bowral area of the Southern Highlands, representing the quality of talent unearthed outside the metropolitan bubble.
Maitlan Brown: Wingham Junior Cricket Club
Similarly, Maitlan Brown began her cricket life with the Wingham Junior Cricket Club on the Mid-North Coast, highlighting the success of the Country Cricket pathway in bringing raw, athletic talent into the elite WBBL environment.
Rounding out the featured eight are three players who represent the emerging talent nurtured by Sydney clubs. All-rounder Lauren Kua and young batter Elsa Hunter are both recent, exciting products of the Sydney junior cricket system, showcasing the constant flow of promising players into the Sixers squad. Their inclusion reinforces the message that the club is actively backing local talent right off the production line. Additionally, veteran all-rounder Mathilda Carmichael, with her deep connections to the Western Australian domestic system before joining the Sixers, represents the professionalism and dedication needed to maintain a career at this level, blending state loyalties into the magenta family.
This initiative is ultimately a genuine expression of gratitude to the thousands of coaches, club officials, and parents whose names don’t appear on the team sheet. Every powerful cover drive by Gardner, every spectacular dive by Healy, and every sharp delivery from Cheatle, carries the support of those who organized the gear, marked the pitches, and encouraged that first six. The Sydney Sixers are ensuring that the women’s game remains firmly rooted in the communities that gave them their start.
By profiling these players and making their community clubs central to the narrative, the Sydney Sixers are building more than just a successful team; they are fostering a legacy of inspiration. Every young girl in NSW, whether she is in Revesby or Bowral, can look at the magenta shirt and know that her dream is achievable, and the first step is always the local club. It’s a heart-warming celebration that truly connects the professional game back to its humble, vibrant beginnings.
Loves all things female cricket