Samara ready to tackle subcontinent

Albany cricket product Samara Williams’ dream of representing her country will be realised over the next week with the all-rounder is part of the National Indigenous Women’s Squad touring India.

Williams, who grew up in Albany and has since moved to Perth to further pursue her cricket dream, is one of three WA players named in the squad of 14 that will depart for the subcontinent on Friday and play a series of matches in Delhi and Mumbai.

This is the first tour of its kind and players were selected on the back of their performances at both club level and at the National Indigenous Cricket Championships back in February.

Williams plays for University in Perth and impressed at the championships in Alice Springs where she took two wickets and made 73 runs in four matches.

Despite her rapid rise in the women’s game, Williams was shocked at the news of her selection.

“I was quite surprised at first,” Williams said.

“After playing in Alice Springs and continuing to train, being chosen for this I was relieved.

“I’m really looking forward to going away, it will be a good experience and hopefully I can learn plenty while I am there.”

The 19-year-old right-handed bat and seam bowler said adjusting to the traditional spinning Indian wickets and playing with new teammates presented plenty of challenges.

“Just the experience of playing over there will be great,” she said.

“The pitches are so different and obviously spin a lot for trying to adjust to that will be hard.

“I know a lot of the girls that are in the squad but just training and playing with them will be very different.

“Since Alice Springs us three WA girls have been getting together at the WACA to train when we can, we’ve had six trainings as a group, but apart from that we’ve had to train on our own.”

The National Indigenous Women’s Squad will play the Yuvraj Singh Cricket Academy, Delhi women’s team and Mumbai Cricket Association women’s team in matches starting on Sunday.

The 10-day trip will be Williams’ first venture out of Australia but the hard-working teenager was fully prepared.

“I have been working on my bowling a lot so I think I will be more of a bowler (in India),” she said.

“Because there is a lot of spin over there I have had to change my batting and bowling approach but I’m ready to go.”