But having forged a career playing cricket with the men at West Warrnambool and Nirranda, she is at the forefront of new female junior cricket competition in the Warrnambool district.

Together with Terang cricket star Grace Lee, Townsend is encouraging girls from the under 16 age group down to try their hand at the popular summer sport, with training sessions starting up this Sunday.

It will be the launching pad for a new girls’ cricket competition, which is expected to start early November, though dates are yet to be finalised.

“The competition will be a Twenty20 format,” Townsend said.

“At the moment, there’s seven clubs in the midst of getting a girls team up and going.”

Warrnambool and District Cricket Association clubs Nestles, Nirranda, Woodford, Koroit, East Warrnambool and Brierly have all expressed interest in fielding a team, while Grassmere Cricket Association is also putting a team together.

The girls’ cricket program also has the support of WDCA chairman Gordon McLeod and South West Sport healthy sporting environments program manager Andrew Sloane.

Townsend, who this year returned from Melbourne where she was playing cricket with the Essendon-Maribyrnong Park ladies’ team, said it was great to see the increasing opportunities for young girls interested in the sport.

“To see how much it’s grown over this last couple of years especially, it’s good to see the Warrnambool and Cricket District Association for pushing for a competition like this,” she said.

“I think if I was able to have this sort of an opportunity to play with other girls I would’ve absolutely loved it.

“We just want to try to get the invitation out to all junior girls to come out and have a bit of fun and experience what it’s like to play a bit of cricket with all girls, not just boys.”

There are hopes the inaugural girls’ competition will pave the way for a more regular season in line with the regular WDCA junior competition.

Townsend said she would love to see dedicated girls’ matches being played from under 13 level through to under 17s, leading to increased female participation in senior cricket.

Training sessions will be run at Warrnambool’s Active Sportz indoor centre on September 4, 11 and 18 from 2-3.30pm.