Speers Point young gun Sienna Eve is hoping to inspire the next batch of cricketing talent from the region.

After signing her maiden professional contract with the Sydney Thunder, ahead of WBBL|10, along with a deal with the NSW Breakers, the 19-year-old harbours fond memories of her start in the Hunter.

Ironically, she developed her love of the sport by watching it on television with her family.

Quite simply, Eve wanted to know what all the hype was about.

“I watched it all the time with my grandma and dad and never knew what the rules were,” she said.

“I was sick of not knowing what was going on.

“So, I found out… and was then keen to give it a go.

“My mum was a bit cautious of the hard ball, so it took a few years of convincing, but I got there eventually.”

Starting her journey with the Warners Bay Cardiff Junior Cricket Club, Eve was quickly picked up by Newcastle City where her skills skyrocketed.

But, it wasn’t always easy.

The spinner admitted early in her career she had to face the harsh reality of being a woman in a male-dominated sport.

“It was an all-girls team in a boys’ comp,” Eve said.

“The lads kind of made a joke out of it, but then we’d bowl and they would be shocked.

“It was a bit of a surprise for the boys to see girls can play cricket.

“I think that was a good thing to witness when we were little… seeing we belonged here.”

Despite previous injuries to her spine in 2017/18, Eve remains strong, using the setback to her advantage to develop skills for her current position as a left-arm orthodox bowler.

“It made me more resilient to know what my body could take and what I can do to prevent other injuries,” she told the Newcastle Weekly.

“It was a big turning point as to where I was going with my career.”

She secured a position with the NSW Breakers after successfully scoring a spot in the Australian under-19 team and a Cricket NSW tier one scholarship.

She’s now set to play in the upcoming Women’s National Cricket League, bowling alongside national stars Ash Gardner and Phoebe Litchfield.

“I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed honestly,” Eve said.

“With a lot of things that have happened over the past year, it’s very daunting.

“However, I’m very grateful for all the opportunities I’ve been given.”

With strong support from her parents, the family has now relocated to Sydney to allow her to follow her dreams.

“I’m just going to keep training hard,” Eve said.

“Hopefully, I’ll get on the field and be able to play with those amazing players.

“But, right now, I’m just taking it all in.”

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