Women's cricket at Penrith Cricket Club in the 1990s

Penrith Cricket Club | May 20, 2026

The 1990s saw a period in which women’s cricket flourished at Penrith CC, with the Club fielding two teams in the women’s competitions in most seasons. A highlight of this decade was the early career of the great Michelle Goszko, who went on to higher honours. The decade also featured the first years of club stalwart Kim Horwood’s (now Butler) career, with Kim still playing today.

Women’s cricket at Penrith languished in the period 1999/2000 until 2005/06, with no teams in the women’s competitions. From 2006/07 until 2009/10, there was a resurgence, with one women’s team in the Second Grade competition. After another hiatus – of only one season this time – 2011/12 saw the start of the Club’s second blooming, with a team in Brewer Shield, growing to a Brewer and Second Grade team in the following season, and three teams – including First Grade – in 2014/15.

1990/91

Third Grade

This team was captained by Jo-Anne Malone and reached the semi-final, but lost to Sydney University. Two experienced players, Vicky Wilson from Balmain, and Tracy Walsh from Randwick, strengthened the team and assisted in young player development.

Highlights

• Sharmaine Smith scored 322 runs @ 64.40.
• Elaine Thomas scored 229 runs @ 32.71.
• Jo-Anne Malone scored 181 runs @ 22.63 and took eight wickets @ 6.50.
• Narrelle Clines scored 166 runs @ 20.75.
• Tracy Walsh scored 128 runs @ 21.33 and took eight wickets @14.00.
• Kristin Burke took 17 wickets @ 11.47.
• Vicky Wilson took 10 wickets @ 8.60.

Fourth Grade

This was a new team consisting mainly of school-age girls, some as young as 12, so the bookies might have nominated the wooden spoon as a foregone conclusion. But captain Samantha Richardson and her ‘babies’ had plenty to celebrate when they beat eventual Semi-finalists Uni of NSW 106 to 104. And there was this: ‘Most players have indicated that they are looking forward to next season, as everyone enjoyed playing together’.

Highlights

• Jenni Bates scored 252 runs @ 12.60, including 48* v Balmain, and took 26 wickets @ 17.62.
• Michelle Brat scored 239 runs @ 13.28 and took 22 wickets @ 12.77.
• Melissa Fairbanks scored 155 runs @ 9.12, including 51 v Uni NSW, and took 13 wickets @ 23.00.

1992/92

Third Grade – Premiers

Premiers again! It was this team’s second Third Grade Premiership, with the first coming in 1989/90, but it was achieved via a topsy-turvy run to glory. Second-placed Penrith played first-placed Randwick in the semi-final, the winner to go straight to the Grand Final, the loser to play the winner of the other semi-final in the Final. Randwick needed only a draw to progress.

First twist: the play-off match was played at Rance Oval, so ground advantage to Penrith. On one of the hottest weekends of the summer, Penrith lost the toss. Second twist: Randwick sent Penrith in to bat! Penrith scored a creditable 176, with Tracy Walsh brilliant. Randwick’s approach to the run chase oozed the confidence of their Minor Premier status. Third twist: Penrith rolled Randwick for a paltry 56, Tracy Walsh again to the fore with 4/17, and Kim Horwood 3/14. Penrith were through to the Big One.

Grand Final day – from dusty and dry to cold and wet! Randwick again, but this time they batted, and much better. Penrith dismissed them at stumps on Day one for 250, Kim Horwood 5/60. Final twist: ‘Hughie’ sent it down all Saturday night and into the next morning, and play didn’t commence until 2.50 pm. Penrith batted out time and at stumps were 4/68, drawing the match and taking the Premiership. Team manager Kim Dolton reported ‘a few more grey hairs’, but remained buoyant, so much so that she announced the team would apply for Second Grade status in the next season.

Highlights

• Tracy Walsh scored 450 runs @ 56.25, best 101* (66 mins) and 74 in the Semi-final, and took 31 wickets @ 9.90.
• Vicki Wilson scored 304 runs @ 30.40.
• Kim Horwood scored 245 runs @ 24.50 and took 22 wickets @ 15.09.
• Elaine Thomas (five innings) scored 117 runs @ 39.00 and took 10 wickets @ 7.80.

Fifth Grade

This team saw many young girls playing their first season of cricket. One of the youngest, schoolgirl Michelle Goszko, was outstanding with both bat and ball, and would go on to greater things. The team began well, a win and a narrow loss, but strangely then struggled to raise more than eight players. Captain Nicole Dunkley arrested the high attrition rate by creating ‘a spirit of good sportsmanship, fair play and fun’. ‘This brought us a full team and better late-season results with a win and two narrow defeats in our last three games’, she said.

Highlights

• Michelle Goszko scored 477 runs @ 39.75 and took 21 wickets @ 12.28.
• Michelle Bray scored 215 runs @ 30.71.
• Shelley Robinson took a hat-trick v Ku-ring-gai.

1992/93

Second Grade

Nicole Dunkley captained the team and reported ‘pleasure and pain’. All captains like seeing their charges do well: all-rounder Jenni Bates won the Sydney Women’s Fifth Grade Player of the Year Award; Tracey Harrington took a hat-trick against Berala—all bowled! Fran Corkill won the Sydney Women’s Fifth Grade Keeping Award with seven dismissals. Frustrating, though, was seeing it all come together too rarely, which affected the team’s Premiership dream. 

Penrith had the best of the semi-final against Bankstown, at 2/52 chasing 130, when rain stopped play. Bankstown progressed to the Grand Final. ‘If only we’d played to our potential in the preliminary rounds we’d have finished higher on the table than Bankstown’, lamented Nicole.

Highlights

• Jenni Bates scored 404 runs @ 26.70 and took 28 wickets @ 14.29.
• Tracey Harrington scored 183 runs @ 20.30 and took 21 wickets @ 17.05.
• Michelle Goszko (two innings) scored 70 runs.
• Michelle Starr took 23 wickets @ 18.04, including 6/19 v Macquarie Uni.

1993/94

Second Grade 

In its second season in Second Grade, this team made the semi-finals only to lose to Gordon in a very tight finish. Penrith required three off the last ball of the game but unfortunately fell just short. 

Michelle Goszko was selected to represent NSW Under 18s. She left Penrith after this season and later went on to play for NSW and Australia, making her ODI debut in 1997 v New Zealand. Michelle also toured New Zealand in the Australian Youth Cricket Team in 1996 under coach Ron Halse, long-time Penrith stalwart. Kim Horwood represented Sydney Women’s Cricket Association in the State Championships and the John Knight Memorial Shield. Kim Dalton, Vicky Wilson and Cathy Avery all retired from cricket, citing family and personal reasons.

Highlights

• Sharmaine Smith scored 372 runs @ 46.50, including 104, and took 18 wickets @ 18.30.
• Michelle Goszko scored 354 runs @ 39.30, including 113*, and took 10 wickets @ 17.50.
• Cathy Avery scored 314 runs @ 31.40, including 62*.
• Kim Horwood scored 229 runs @ 38.20, including 56.

Fourth Grade 

This team played its first season in Fourth Grade and started with a win. Although the team kicked off the season with a squad of 16 players, within a few weeks, they were down to nine, three of whom had never played cricket before. By the end of the season, 24 players had played for the team. The problem seemed to be injuries compounded by HSC and university commitments.

Highlights

• Jenny Bates scored 338 runs @ 19.88 and took 24 wickets @ 20.46.
• Michelle Starr scored 277 runs @ 13.85 and took 22 wickets @ 24.95, including 5/44.
• Tracy Harrington scored 241 runs @ 12.05 and took 35 wickets @ 14.26, including 5/24.

1994/95

Fourth Grade

This was the Club’s only women’s team this season. Leading the competition going into the final round at Christmas, they were the team to beat. By mid-January, however, they had dropped to third and suffered a season-ending loss in the semi-finals against an older and more experienced Macquarie University side, who were the eventual Premiers.

Although the team didn’t have the success it had hoped for, there were outstanding individual results: Natasha van Montfoort won the batting aggregate for the Grade with 524 runs, and Jenni Bates won the Player of the Year. Jenni Bates and Tracey Harrington selected in the City side for the City v Country Emerging Players. Later, Jenni Bates, Tracey Harrington, Michelle Starr and Tracey Lillis were selected in the John Knight Shield team to play in Canberra.

Highlights

• Natasha Van Montfoort scored 530 runs @ 35.33, including 86* v North Sydney, 84* v Balmain, and 67 v Gordon.
• Jenni Bates scored 438 runs @ 25.76, including 73* v Macquarie University and 61* v Berala. Jenni also took 35 wickets @ 11.97, including 5/7 v Gordon and 5/17 v Berala.
• Tracey Lillis scored 340 runs @ 34.00, including 77* v North Sydney, and took 20 wickets @ 10.95.
• Tracey Harrington took 33 wickets @ 13.06 and scored 174 runs @ 12.43.
• Michelle Starr took 27 wickets @ 19.67 including 6/23 v Marrickville.

1995/96

Fourth Grade – Premiers

Being relegated to Fourth Grade only made this team more determined to prove the association wrong, and they did just that by winning the competition. Michelle Starr returned the year’s best bowling performance of 8/8 v Balmain. She was ably supported by Tracey Harrington and newcomer Alison Clisdell. Alison was voted Player of the Year for her great all-round performances and some sensational catching.

Highlights

• Alison Clisdell scored 221 runs @ 27.63, including 51* v Balmain United, and took 21 wickets @ 6.57 including 4/5 and held 10 catches.
• Tracy Lillis scored 191 runs @ 23.88 including 52* v Gordon.
• Michelle Starr scored 185 runs @ 20.56, including 78 v Gordon, and took 25 wickets @ 6.92 including 8/8 v Balmain.
• Cathy Avery scored 171 runs @ 57.00, including 93* v Berala.
• Tracey Harrington took 22 wickets @ 7.14, including 4/7 v Gordon.

Runs for: 1233 Wickets lost: 78 Average: 15.81

Runs against: 921 Wickets taken: 104 Average: 8.86

1996/97

Third Grade

After being relegated to Fourth Grade the previous season and winning the competition, this season saw the team promoted to Third Grade. Through their hard work and excellent performances, they almost pulled off another Premiership win but were unfortunately beaten by Randwick in the Grand Final. Bowlers Tracy Harrington and Tracy Lillis performed well, both taking over 20 wickets for the season. Cathy Avery once again had a great season with the bat and was ably supported by Natasha van Montfoort. Both girls scored their maiden centuries.

Highlights

• Cathy Avery scored 428 runs @ 53.50, including 103* v Berala. Cathy also took 19 wickets @ 9.89 including 5/16 v North Sydney.
• Natasha van Montfoort scored 383 runs @ 38.30, including 141* v Gordon. Natasha also took 12 catches.
• Tracy Harrington took 24 wickets @ 13.13, including 4/45.

Runs for: 1906 Wickets lost: 67 Average: 28.45

Runs against: 1351 Wickets taken: 109 Average: 12.39

1997/98

Second Grade

This team was promoted for the third time in three seasons but this time not with the same success as in previous years. The results didn’t necessarily reflect the season, however, with some games lost by narrow margins.

Highlights

• L Cook scored 256 runs @ 23.27, highest score 68.
• Cathy Avery scored 182 runs @ 18.20, highest score 57.
• Tracy Harrington took 27 wickets @ 11.67, including 5/16.
• Michelle Starr took 18 wickets @ 12.28, including 4/27.

Runs for: 1157 Wickets lost: 92 Average: 12.58

Runs against: 1277 Wickets taken: 81 Average: 15.77

Fourth Grade

With an increase in registrations, The Club was able to field a second team this season, playing in the Fourth Grade competition. Although many players had never played grade cricket before, the team excelled, finishing second in the competition and reaching the semi-finals, only to lose to Balmain in the last over of the day.

Highlights

• Kim Irvine scored 216 runs @ 19.64, highest score 41.
• S Foenander scored 201 runs @ 52.25, highest score 56*.
• S Coote took 25 wickets @ 10.32 including 4/8.
• C Smith took 18 wickets @13.61 including 4/8.

1998/99

Second Grade

This was a disappointing season, with the team recording only two wins. Michelle Starr noted that, on paper, the team seemed quite strong but unfortunately was unable to get all players performing well on the same day.

Highlights

• Alison Clisdell scored 322 runs @ 35.78, including 67* v Sutherland and 67 v Balmain.
• Cathy Avery took 15 wickets @ 13.00, including 5/36 v Mosman.

Fourth Grade

With five senior players leaving the team, it wasn’t unreasonable to think that this team couldn’t succeed. But this very young side, with players in their first and second year of cricket, finished fifth and only narrowly missed the semi-finals.

Highlights

• Nikki Woodbury scored 243 runs @ 30.00, with a highest score of 50*.
• Rebecca Wise scored 198 runs @ 33.00, with a highest score of 45.
• M Allen took 11 wickets @ 16.00.
• M Bennett took 10 wickets @ 21.70.

Pictured: Sharmaine Smith (1993-94)