After launching Wollongong into the national league, Will Badger turns his focus to representing Australia in a trans-Tasman series.
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Badger has been selected in the over 35s masters division, competing in a week-long tournament against New Zealand, starting on October 14.
Owner of the North Wollongong indoor sports centre, Badger is excited to return to representative duties, having played the sport for more than 20 years.
“It is such an honour to play for Australia,” he said.
“Indoor cricket offers so many opportunities to not only test yourself against the best in the world in rep teams, but to travel and build lifelong friendships is a huge bonus.”
While the men’s Wollongong Rays were winless in the national league’s Sydney metro division, they qualified for finals in the under 19 colts and over 35 masters divisions.
Badger said the venture provides a valuable pathway into the representative scene, a decade after Wollongong’s last foray at a high level.
“The Rays had a great first season,” Badger said. ”We brought the guys who play in our mid-week comps into the experience of representative level cricket and they loved it. It’s been great for the centre and great for our players, especially the young guys, to see a high performance pathway.
”They now know that indoor cricket isn’t only about socialising and having a hit.
“If you want to give it a go, you can go as far as you want, representing New South Wales in Nationals tournaments, and ultimately you may get the chance to play for Australia.”
