Allrounder Kim Garth leaves Irish cricket to pursue future in Australia

The 24-year-old has signed a two-year professional contract with Victoria, having already played a significant amount of cricket in Australia. She will begin as an overseas player but intends to apply for permanent residency

Ireland Women’s vice-captain Kim Garth has left Irish cricket to pursue a career with Victoria in Australia.

The 24-year-old, who has featured in 34 ODI and 51 T20Is for Ireland since making her debut a decade ago as a teenager, has signed a two-year professional contract in a country where she has some considerable experience.

Garth has played in the Women’s Big Bash for Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers, while last year she was named as the most valuable player for Dandenong, the Melbourne side she represented in club cricket.

She said: “While I have accepted the offer, it was not an easy decision to make. To leave family, friends and the whole Irish cricket community was a very difficult decision and one I did not take lightly.

“However, my ambition has always been to be a full-time professional cricketer and to play at the highest level. A chance like this doesn’t present itself too often, so I am keen to seize this opportunity.”

“I will miss being part of the Irish squad, and indeed all the staff I have worked with at Cricket Ireland – I am very grateful and conscious of the opportunities afforded to me by Cricket Ireland over the years. But I have also learned a lot living and playing cricket in Australia and hope that, at some future time, I can bring this experience home and give back in some way.”

"It's like being back at school": The coming of age of England's young spinners

Shaun Graf, Cricket Victoria's general manager of cricket, added: “Kim has played a lot of cricket within Australia in recent seasons and brings further international experience to the squad. She will play as an overseas player initially however she intends to apply for permanent residency allowing her the opportunity to hopefully one-day play for Australia.”

The news comes as a setback to head coach Ed Joyce, whose Ireland side are still looking to qualify for next year’s World Cup through the qualifying event for the tournament. When that takes place, however, has not yet been confirmed after its planned July date in Sri Lanka was postponed due to Covid-19.

Last year, Ireland introduced its first set of part-time contracts for six women, though Cricket Ireland performance director Richard Holdsworth admitted that the country was “still in the early stages of professionalising the women’s game in Ireland”.

Joyce added: “This is obviously a blow, there is no way around that. To lose one of your leading players anytime is a challenge, but I can understand Kim’s decision-making and she has been quite open with her ambitions.

“Ambition is a good thing, though – I want our players to be ambitious for Ireland and for their careers. However, the reality is that it will take a few years for us to be in a position to offer our women cricketers full-time opportunities. We’re on that road, like we did with the men’s contracts, but I am optimistic we will get there with patience and commitment.”

Save 30% when you subscribe to The Cricketer’s print & digital bundle. £35 for 12 issues