McGuirk, Parsons shine with the bat for North West Schools

The two batters were undoubtedly stars for the North West team last week which, aside from a big win in its first game, struggled throughout the NSW Combined High Schools Sports Association competition.

But this, manager Ryan Whitton said, was to be expected.

"It was pretty much what we expected, because our team's average age was 14, compared to most teams who were made up of the other teams, which were made up of Year 11 and 12 girls," Whitton said.

"So it was a bit of a rebuild year in that sense. But we'll be able to keep that same team together for the next carnival in term four."

With six games played over four days from Monday to Thursday, including four T20s and two 50-over games, Whitton said fatigue played a part for some of the younger team members.

But by the end of the week-long competition, despite the North West team placing ninth on the ladder, McGuirk and Parsons had been named in the NSWCHSSA First and Second XI sides respectively.

McGuirk, who attends Oxley High School but lives in Gunnedah, ensured her selection with a sterling hundred in the first game of the week, against North Coast, which turned out to be North West's only win.

Further scores, including one more half-century, meant McGuirk finished the tournament with 255 runs, which put her among the top batters of the tournament.

"She was a CHS One player last year as well, so it was the standard she was expected to be at," Whitton said.

As a Year Nine student, Parsons was one of the younger members of the side, but showed her abundant ability by putting together consistent starts.

"The first day she got a 48 not out and a 42 not out, and then she got a couple of 30s and 20s," Whitton said.

"Not massive scores, but just consistently getting runs on the board, so that got her into the Second XI squad."

The NSWCHSSA teams will travel to Campbelltown from March 22-24 to compete in the NSW All Schools Cricket Championships.

Whitton himself was also named the manager of the NSWCHSSA teams.

The sides selected for next month's carnival, he believes, will be more competitive than they have been for years.

"They'll be fairly strong in both teams," Whitton said.

"It's probably two of the more rounded sides we've had in the last few years. In other years we've had really amazing players, but they're all batters or all bowlers, whereas this is a bit more balanced across both teams."

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