She’ll be a tearaway: Lauren Ebsary on Darcie Brown

A South Australian cricketing legend heralded Darcie Brown as a future star after being dismissed by her for a duck in her final club game.

Former WNCL title-winning South Australian captain, Lauren Ebsary, knew she had just faced a star in the making when the now 18-year-old right-arm quick found the edge of her bat.

“My last game at my local cricket club, was against Darcie, and I nicked off for nothing. She bowled to me, edge through to the keeper and that was it,” recalls Ebsary

“It might not have been a golden duck but I definitely remember I didn’t get off the mark. Tail between my legs and headed into the sheds.”

Darcie, who made her Big Bash debut in the WBBL hub in October whilst completing high school, took four wickets in as many matches to be crowned as the ‘Young Gun’ of the tournament.

2021 Kerry Packer Award recipient Ebsary says that with a similar action to that of breakout Australian star, Tayla Vlaeminck, Darcie is one of the quickest bowlers she’s come across.

“She’s very whippy, comes on your very quick and it’s got fantastic shape, out swing and raw pace.

“I think I read the other day that Darcie was clocking 125kms, I think that’s the fastest I used to face since Catherine Fitzpatrick, which, before they had accurate speed guns, was around the 120-130 mark, so Darcie certainly felt pretty sharp.”

With a first tour with the Australian side coming up at the end of the month for Darcie, Ebsary is tipping the numbers on the speed gun to rise.

“Absolutely, and as she grows into her body and hopefully is able to put on some more muscle mass, she’ll be a tearaway, which is very exciting.”