Sport columnist SIMON ANDERSON catches up with a new ACT Meteors recruit bursting with ambition for the upcoming cricket season.

AS we approach the end of winter, and the ACT Meteors prepare for the summer of cricket, many members of the squad are used to chilly mornings, frosty ovals and extra layers.

New recruit Holly Ferling is still adjusting to the Canberra winter as she goes through her first pre-season away from Queensland.

Ferling played her entire career in the Sunshine State before making the move south, signing a rookie deal with the Queensland Fire at just 15 years old, and being upgraded to a full contract only a year later.

Ten years on, with hundreds of games for her state and country on her resume, the 26-year-old decided it was time for a change.

“I had the opportunity to chat to (ACT Elite Teams lead) Mick Delaney and (Meteors head coach) Jono Dean before last season started because covid delayed it,” Ferling told “CityNews”.

“I didn’t really entertain making the move at first, but we played a lot of games in Canberra so we caught up for coffee a couple of times.

“At the end of the season I flew down and we had a proper chat and I asked them why they were interested in me.

“They hit my core values in their answer, and I felt there was a real alignment there and an opportunity to have an impact on the team – we spoke about leadership opportunities alongside Katie Mack as her vice-captain to shape this young group.”

At just 26, Ferling has plenty of good years of cricket ahead of her despite not playing for Australia since 2016. Part of training in the new environment is about finding her role in the team, and looking at what she can contribute with the ball.

“Last year I had a lot of people asking me about whether I was retiring and I had to briefly remind everyone that I was 26, and that not many 26-year-olds are being asked about retirement,” said Ferling.

“I think you can get caught up in what other people are doing and becoming something you are not, rather than being the best version of you.

“I worked out during last season how important it is to go back to basics – and ended up bowling a bit of in-swing without knowing why it was happening.

“Working with Mick (Delaney) I am looking to add that string to my bow and get that ability to move the ball both ways and be a little bit more aggressive when opening the bowling.”

Ferling is also looking to help keep the Meteors competitive, having been on the wrong end of the result when facing her new team in the past.

“I have been sick of having my backside handed to me by this team for the past couple of years,” said Ferling.

“They have always been underdogs and they have always punched above their weight, but I think it is a really exciting time.
“It is time to start shifting that narrative to show that this is a team and an organisation that creates amazing cricketers and amazing environments to help people thrive and succeed.”

Ferling is also looking forward to building the leadership group of “young veterans” alongside Mack (28) and Carly Leeson (23), and helping some of the players in a similar situation to where she was early in her career.

“Among the three of us, we have some pretty amazing experiences both as cricketers and as people. We have been through different challenges and seen the professionalism of the game over the last few years,” she said.

“We are doing a lot of sessions with the group to make sure they are well-equipped humans, not just well-equipped cricketers and a lot of the lessons we are trying to share are lessons I wish I knew when I was 16.

“The number of times I have looked back and thought: ‘If only I knew this when I was younger’.”

One of those pieces of advice; keeping busy away from sport. Ferling completed a communication degree at university earlier this year, and has been working as a commentator with Channel 7 over the last few years.

“I am proud to have finished that degree, it has been a number of years toiling away but I think one of the biggest formulas for success for me was finding that identity away from playing,” said Ferling.

“I think it’s quite unique to the women’s game but something I hope we hold on to.

“I remember seeing legends like Kirsten Pike and Mel Bulow roll on in with heels in one hand from the law firm and cricket spikes in the other.

“We are training like we are full time – we aren’t necessarily paid like we are full time yet, but it is getting there. 

“The more that we can normalise having a dual-career, not just preparing for life after cricket, and actually doing something while you are playing will develop far stronger and resilient people playing the game and give the players more life experiences.”

There are more of Simon Anderson’s sport columns at citynews.com.au