Sport
22 January, 2025
Under-16 cricket national champs a big highlight for Stawell's Mitchell
Ayva Mitchell represented Vic Country in Ballarat from January 6-13.
Stawell cricketer Ayva Mitchell is still coming down after facing the country's best under-age players.
Mitchell, 15, represented Vic Country at the Cricket Australia under-16 female national championships in Ballarat from January 6-13.
"It was a huge experience. Coming off playing premier cricket in Geelong and Melbourne every week, and then going off to play against the best under-16 girls in the country is really cool," Mitchell said.
"It was cool to play in Ballarat being close to home, and to be able to use all of the amazing grounds.
"It was all a pretty big highlight, to be honest."
Vic Country finished their seven group matches (a mixture of T20s and one-dayers) in second spot with five wins and two losses before being beaten by Vic Metro in a play-off for third place.
Mitchell, who opened the bowling, took three wickets with best bowling figures of 1/18 from six overs against NSW Metro.
"The T20s were harder because the girls just go for it from the start, compared to the one-dayers where they ease the way into it, and it's a longer game," she said.
"For the first week until the last day, we were going really well.
"I feel like when we got to the last day, we were a bit tired [and] lost a bit of energy, and I feel like that kind of let us down."
It was a long process for Mitchell to get to the carnival, which started in July 2024.
"There was an emerging players program, which they chose the best 30 under 16 girls in the state. We trained every two weeks down in Melbourne," she said.
"Then in September, they chose 14 and 15 girls for trial games in Hamilton against South Australia and Vic Metro, from that they chose the team."
When Mitchell was selected, she realised the level of opposition she would be up against.
"[There were] mixed emotions; I was like, oh my god, I actually get to do this," Mitchell said.
"And then there was nerves, because I actually have to play against the best girls in the country."
Mitchell's attention returns to club cricket, where her Geelong side is atop the Victorian Premier Cricket women's second-grade table.
We've got five home and away games left for Geelong, and then we go in finals," she said.
"So [there's] still a bit of a way to go."