Gabrielle Sutcliffe

Young Achiever: Gabby Sutcliffe’s shining on cricket pitch

NOT OUT: Corowa’s Gabby Sutcliffe is one of 12 nominees for the 2020 Norske Skog Young Achiever of the Year Award for her cricket achievements.

What started as a bit of fun during school lunchtimes has now become a passion for keen cricketer Gabby Sutcliffe.

“I would just play in school at breaks with the boys and then one day my teacher asked if I wanted to try out for the girls team,” Sutcliffe said.

“I just said yes and ended up getting into the team.

“From there I’ve played ever since.”

From that day the 17-year-old from Corowa has added some special moments to her highlight reel including representing the ACT-NSW country squad at under-15 and under-18 levels.

Sutcliffe was a part of the under-15 national championship’s winning team in 2017 before claiming the nod again in the under-18’s for the 2019-20 season.

The talented bowler also recently represented the Border Bullets in a game against the ACT Aces where she had the opportunity to play alongside former professional cricketer Alex Blackwell.

“Her (Blackwell) experience and knowledge was just too good,” Sutcliffe said.

“We didn’t come away with the win but it was still a good experience to have her amongst the group.”

Sutcliffe’s dream is to play in the Women’s National Cricket League, with the talented youngster already taking steps in the right direction.

She’s recently made the move to Canberra to study physiotherapy while also looking to further her cricket horizons.

“At the moment in Canberra I have the opportunity to make an emerging squad to build my way into the ACT Meteors, so I want to hopefully move into there,” she said.

Sutcliffe has been recognised for her hard work with a nomination for the 2020 Norske Skog Young Achiever of the Year Award alongside 11 other young sports stars.

“It was really unexpected,” she said.

“I just thought that there were other great candidates around the area that are ticking so many boxes and kicking so many goals.

“It was really humbling to be in that category and to be recognised.

“I’ve heard of the award and seen who’s been nominated in the past, so it’s just great to be among those people.”

Cricket isn’t the only sport Sutcliffe plays with the youngster taking to the netball court for Hume league club Billabong Crows in the winter months.

She was part of the Crows’ 2019 success playing in their B-grade premiership side.

Sutcliffe said playing netball provided a good way to fill in the months of down time from cricket.

“It was good to have a few teams from the Crows in the finals, so definitely on the up and up there,” she said.

“It’s just something good to do in the winter to stay fit.”

Source – The Border Mail, 07.02.2020