NSW youngster Mikayla Hinkley eyes spot in star-studded Breakers

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This was published 6 years ago

NSW youngster Mikayla Hinkley eyes spot in star-studded Breakers

By James Buckley

Penrith youngster Mikayla Hinkley is the embodiment of why the all-conquering NSW Breakers can continue to dominate women's cricket for another decade.

She's a member of Australia's Shooting Stars squad, she's spent the last few years learning from teammates Ellyse Perry, Alex Blackwell, Alyssa Healy and Rachael Haynes, she wants to stay at the Breakers for her entire career, and she's only 19.

NSW's campaign for back-to-back WNCL crowns begins on Friday against Queensland at Blacktown. The Breakers enjoy a dominance of this competition rarely seen in Australian sport – they've won the competition 18 times since its inception 21 years ago.

They're red-hot favourites to do it again this summer, boasting the aforementioned quartet of star batters alongside Australian quicks Sarah Aley, Belinda Vakarewa and Lauren Cheatle.

Mikayla Hinkley at training with the NSW Breakers at the SCG.

Mikayla Hinkley at training with the NSW Breakers at the SCG.Credit: Cricket NSW

And with Hinkley leading a stack of classy youngsters, the Breakers look set to keep racking up WNCL titles in the years to come.

"I bleed blue, I always have," Hinkley said. "I captained two underage NSW teams and had the absolute honour of bringing home the trophy in both of those teams.

"I've had opportunities to go elsewhere over the past few years and they do probably offer a better opportunity but I'm too much of a loyal person to NSW.

"I'd rather challenge myself in the environment that we have with potentially you could say the best top four in the world in any team.

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"Whatever opportunity comes my way would be interesting to think about but I'm absolutely bleeding blue at the moment, I can't picture myself anywhere else."

Hinkley has been presented with a huge opportunity this season following the departure of all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, who has moved to South Australia on a two-year deal.

That gives her a chance to establish a spot in the lower reaches of the Breakers' batting order, one she looks set to make her own after starring in the Shooting Stars' tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year.

And the Penrith girl plans to soak up every scrap of experience this season, whether it be at the crease or simply from observing her star-studded teammates.

"I went and saw Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy and Alex Blackwell score centuries when I was younger in WNCL, watching them how they played is definitely a benchmark I want to be at one day," Hinkley said.

"I'm still not there, but to be able to play in the same team and train in the same team, that's awesome.

"To be able to potentially take the field with them this weekend, I'll be ecstatic, I can't say it enough.

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"It's up to balance and what they want on the day. Whether they want to go with more of a bowling attack or whether they do want to chuck the extra batter in.

"Whether I'm on the field or not, I'm always going to learn from whatever I do on the day. I definitely can't wait."

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