Kirsten Smith made a welcome discovery while at home in Scone over the Christmas and new year period ahead of her third Australian Country Cricket Championships.
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In between the family catch ups and golf on hot summer afternoons, Smith found her Bush Breakers cap before heading to Toowoomba for the national women's carnival later this week.
"Lucky I came home because I need that," the 20-year-old Wallsend resident said. "It [the cap] is pretty important."
Smith, captain of City's premiership-winning T20 team and Newcastle's SCG-bound squad on January 21, said it was a "privilege" to represent NSW Country.
"The Bush Breakers cap coming out of the cupboard makes it all feel pretty real," she said. "It's exciting and I'm looking forward to it."
Smith said "fitness" would be key as the Bush Breakers look to make a tournament decider for the first time.
"I think fitness is really important because the last two years we've played really well to make the top four but then fallen away," she said. "We haven't been able to crack a grand final yet so that's the goal."
Smith will be joined in the NSW Country side by Maitland leg-spinner Jaclyn Vickery and former Hunter Sports High student Synetta Manns. The Bush Breakers meet South Australia in Sunday's opening T20 round. Double headers follow against Victoria and Western Australia on Monday as well as East Asia Pacific and Queensland on Tuesday. Play-offs take place from January 8 to 11.
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