Late switch to cricket suits ‘Steve’ to a tee

S.Waugh will open the batting for Bunbury in the historic first women’s country week match against Geraldton A under lights at Wonthella tomorrow night. And though her teammates have dubbed her “Steve”, Shani Waugh still has trouble recognising the calls. She may be 51 and know a lot about the history of cricketers but she’s a relative newcomer to the sport. But not sport in general. For 17 years, between the early 1990s and the late 2000s, Shani Waugh was an elite female golfer; a professional on the world circuit. She finished third in a US Open, won three times on the European tour and was beaten by Korean superstar Pak Se Ri in a four-hole play-off at a world charity event. These days, she runs the Shani Waugh Golf School at the Bunbury Golf Club. She thought about taking up cricket last season but with an 11-year-old daughter and a partner who is mostly in Sydney with work, she decided against it. Not so this year. “I asked Alex (daughter) if she minded if I played cricket and when she found out kids went along, she agreed,” Waugh said. “I’m loving it but I’m learning so much. I preach golf during the day and now it’s time to practise the preaching. “A coach was showing me how to grip the ball to make it spin and turn more. It was much the same grip lesson I give golfers. “The difference is the running, we didn’t have to do that in golf. I went for a second run last game and did something to the knee. I’m not as flexible anymore and get sore. “I didn’t think I’d be good enough to play country week but I was told it’s for women and girls who are really keen. “I’m a left-handed opening bat and bowl a bit. We hope to do well against Geraldton, we hear they’re pretty good. Are they? We’ve seen the weather reports and the expected wind, but haven’t done much homework on the lights. “Coincidentally, I’m booked to come to Geraldton in the first week of May for a golfing getaway with a group of ladies.” The Bunbury women, who have a squad of 15 including a 14-year-old, will carpool for the Geraldton trip. “We are carpooling because of the different nature of our personal requirements,” Cathy Allen, women’s co-ordinator and team manager for the Bunbury District Cricket Association, said. “We will head up either on Friday or Saturday. Our first game is the curtain-raiser on Saturday night — which I expect there will be quite a large crowd at as there is a welcoming ceremony. “We are expecting to be competitive but won’t know until the first game. “We will head home after our final game on Tuesday as most have to work on Wednesday. A lot of us are mums.” Besides two Geraldton sides and Bunbury, teams from the West Pilbara, Peel and Port Hedland cricket associations and a composite side, Southern Scorpions, will contest the carnival. Geraldton B plays its first match against Southern Scorpions at The Rec on Sunday morning. Games are on Sunday and Monday and Tuesday morning before the finals that afternoon.