The cricketing world’s her oyster for Queenstowner Paige Loggenberg, who’s won an Otago contract for the first time, aged just 18.
Paige first won selection for the Otago Sparks back in February, but was still ‘‘a little surprised’’ to be named amongst 12 contracted players last week.
She’s been recognised principally for her batting — especially after topping the averages at the national under-19 tournament last summer — but, at 185cm tall, she’s also a handy pace bowler.
Born in South Africa, she moved here with her family when she was four.
Following in the footsteps of her talented older brother, Kevin, she took up cricket when she was eight or nine, playing with other girls at Queenstown Primary School.
At Wakatipu High, she was amongst only three girl cricketers, ‘‘so we just played with boys and against men, and, to be honest, I think it helped my cricket a lot’’.
Paige also played hockey and drummed for the school’s jazz band and an indie rock-pop band, No Man’s Land, that was judged amongst the top 20 New Zealand school bands for two years running.
This year’s she’s been studying design innovation at Wellington’s Victoria University, and plans majoring in animation and special effects.
In a month’s time she’ll return to Queenstown, from where she’ll travel to Dunedin for training ahead of the Sparks’ 50-over Hallyburton Johnstone Shield and Twenty20 Super Smash provincial comps.
Paige says ‘‘I’m more of a 50-over game girl’’, but is gaining confidence as an attacking batter.
She’s looking forward to playing with White Ferns Suzie Bates, Hayley Jensen and Eden Carson, and is definitely keen on attaining national honours, too.
Paige’s long-time Queenstown coach Emma Campbell, herself a former White Ferns and Otago rep, is not surprised she’s scored a contract.
She’s strong-framed and ‘‘just a talented sportsperson’’ who’d really put in the hard work to go with that over the past 12 months or so.
Campbell believes Paige and Otago boys’ U19 rep Toby Hart are ‘‘at the start of kids getting noticed from the Queenstown area’’.
And if she sets her sights on the White Ferns, ‘‘she could do it’’.
