They’re still relative newcomers to the senior women’s ranks but strong support and timely funding boosts have the Glasshouse Rangers primed for a bright future on pitch.

The Rangers formed their maiden women’s team last year and are back at it again this season with bolstered ranks.

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It was a motley crew on debut, but the Rangers have entered their second year with improved skill and new faces.

“It was mostly just a few mums and wives and girlfriends from around (the club) and a few new to cricket (last year),” player and club grants officer Leanne McAllister said.

“I don’t think many had played previously at a club. Just in the backyard, which was really exciting.

“This year it’s a bit different and we’ve got a few girls who have played beforehand (in juniors) and a couple other ladies that have come from other clubs.”

While they’re last on the six-team Tier 1 ladder, McAllister said the team continued to relish the opportunity to play.

They even boasted two players among this season’s top 12 highest scorers with Ashleigh Topfer (53 not out) and Kim Howden (50 not out).

McAllister praised the club for continuing to back the women’s side.

“We’ve been lucky here and we’ve been really well supported with our coaches and the club,” she said.

“Most other teams have one coach, whereas our team has been lucky enough to have at least two or three coaches each training night helping out the ladies.”

McAllister said funding had also proved a key boost for the women’s foray into the Coast cricket scene.

Funding by Cricket Australia’s Grassroots Cricket Fund helped purchase vital equipment ahead of their debut last year.

“A lot of us had been borrowing our partner’s or kid’s gear for our first training sessions until we actually got the funding,” McAllister said.

The women were also fortunate to again benefit from the fund recently, with a $1500 grant earlier this month helping them to purchase a marquee for use on game days.

“It’ll help make sure we have an enjoyable environment for everyone to play cricket in,” McAllister said.

She expected the Rangers and women’s game across the Coast to continue it’s upward trend in years to come.

“We’ve got a lot more junior girls playing in our junior teams so I think it’ll just keep growing organically as the club grows too,” she said.

“In five year’s time we probably won’t have so many new ladies taking up cricket, they’ll all be experienced juniors coming through and it’ll be quite a different team.”