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In a standard world Amy Smith says she would have celebrated her sixteenth birthday by having a low-key occasion with household and pals at a neighborhood pub or cafe.
However 2020 is something however regular.
The younger Australian leg-spinner spent her big day final week locked in a bio-secure bubble with the world’s finest feminine cricketers on the Girls’s Huge Bash League.
“I’m going to recollect it for a very long time,” Smith informed BBC Sport. “It’s in all probability the most effective one but.”
It was totally different however there have been some similarities: a cake, balloons, a rendition of Glad Birthday, a meal contained in the resort and a lie-in.
“The ladies went to the seaside within the morning,” Smith mentioned. “I did not – I slept in. They had been leaving at 8am. That’s too early for me.”
A typical teenager then? Not an opportunity.
Smith’s call-up by the Hobart Hurricanes this yr got here regardless of her having made solely two senior 50-over appearances for her state Tasmania. She has not seemed again.
Her first Huge Bash wicket – that of South Africa batter Lizelle Lee – made her the second youngest wicket-taker within the event’s historical past at 15 years, 11 months and 18 days.
She adopted that by dismissing Australia internationals Ashleigh Gardner and Erin Burns in the identical over towards the Sydney Sixers and a recreation later noticed off Rachael Haynes, a participant with 130 caps for Australia.
“Priesty [Hurricanes and New Zealand wicketkeeper Rachel Priest] has joked that I simply get internationals out,” Smith mentioned.
“I used to be going into that over [against the Sixers] pondering I might get hit for a couple of sixes right here. It was very nice to get them.”
Smith, who took up leg-spin after watching movies of Australia legend Shane Warne, bowls with an brisk certain to the crease and a quick arm.
Gardner, a key participant in Australia’s Twenty20 World Cup win this yr, was bowled by a googly, and Hurricanes skipper Corinne Corridor has mentioned Smith has “outstanding maturity” for her age.
Smith has loved a number of pinch-yourself moments within the event.
“There have been a couple of, particularly towards the Sixers with the Australia gamers and different internationals in that group,” she mentioned.
“Once I was fielding I bear in mind pondering ‘OK, that is Ellyse Perry on strike and I’m bowling to her. That is fairly cool.'”
Smith has not simply been enjoying towards world stars; she has been residing with them.
The coronavirus guidelines for this yr’s event meant all 250 gamers, coaches and officers have been locked in a single bio-secure hub in Sydney – the Olympic village from the 2000 Video games.
Smith spends most of her time along with her personal team-mates – typically gaming with West Indies all-rounder Hayley Matthews – however you can’t assist bumping into others, as a lot as she could dislike the “awkward elevator chat”.
“It was a bit overwhelming to begin with however you make a couple of pals,” Smith mentioned.
“I ran into Ellyse Perry within the health club within the second week and I used to be like, ‘wow – that is simply Ellyse Perry. She performs for Australia!'”
The bubble generally is a peculiar place.
New Zealand internationals and couple Amy Satterthwaite and Lea Tahuhu have their 10-month previous child Grace residing with them within the village.
Smith is the youngest of a handful of gamers who’ve schoolwork to finish of their spare time away from matches and coaching.
On the day of our interview Smith had already accomplished some maths homework. There may be English, geography, historical past and science to do on different days.
“In comparison with my group I’m fairly busy,” she mentioned.
“[Team-mate] Nic Carey checked out my maths work the opposite day and mentioned ‘when the Xs are there I simply overlook about it’.
“A couple of are a bit youthful and say ‘I type of bear in mind’ however not many can assist.”
The event reaches its climax this weekend however the Hurricanes won’t be concerned. They completed backside of the desk and missed out on the play-off stage.
Smith performed in each match and completed with eight wickets at 28.62 – solely Matthews and Carey took extra.
“There have been a couple of video games I’m not as joyful about however you may’t win all of them,” she mentioned. “I’m joyful I’ve bought a couple of wickets and it has been popping out properly.”
If first impressions are something to go by, Smith could must get used to her new firm.
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