Roxsanne stars in Indian cricket tour

Van Veen was part of history when the she represented with Australia's first all-Indigenous female cricket team.

The squad was picked based on performances at club level and at this year's National Indigenous Cricket Championships held in Alice Springs where Roxsanne who played for NSW was voted Player of the Tournament.

The squad of 14 women contains players from all six states and the Northern Territory.

The squad consisted of Emily Bowden (WA), Sara Darney (NSW), Carly Fuller (QLD), Ashleigh Gardner (c, NSW), Jacinta Goodger-Chandler (VIC), Samantha Gordon (NSW), Haylee Hoffmeister (NSW), Febi Mansell (SA), Sally Moylan (vc, NT), Kavita Pepper (WA), Natalie Plane (VIC), Roxsanne Van-Veen (NSW), Taylor Wigg (TAS), Samara Williams (WA).

The team did well winning their first match in New Delhi, but then went down in their remaining matches in Mumbai. 

“The tour was more about giving the Indigenous team the experience of playing abroad in a different environment,” said Van Veen.

“The trip was a real eye opener, India is very heavily populated, a bit smelly and extremely hot, but I loved every minute of it.

“The Indians love their cricket and there were kids running around all over the place with cricket bats.

“Some of the younger girls will get a lot out of the tour and will take it back to their Australian competitions and will be all the better for future tours.

“The tour showed me just how good we have it in Australia.

“We had a chance to do some 'tourist stuff' which was amazing visiting places that were thousands of years old.

“The local people were very friendly and welcoming.”

The Indigenous girls who have already made their mark in the domestic Twenty20 competition in Australia found the challenge of playing in the subcontinent's pre-monsoon heat something completely different to what they have been used of.

On a personal level Roxsanne had a very good tour and was one of the stars with the bat being one of the top scorers in just about all of Indigenous girls games.

“It was a tiring experience and now that I am home and rested I am now looking forward to getting back to hockey with the Panther girls who have been going really well.

“The side has been rejuvenated by the appearance of some very good youngsters who are still only 14 and 15 years old.

“They make you feel young and hopefully us 'oldies' – Amanda Saladine and myself – can pass on some of our experience to the girls.

“We are going for our third straight Premier League hockey title which would be great.

“The memories and friendships I gained in India will stay with me forever.