Georgia Lovegrove and Maddison Malcolm from Batemans Bay Cricket Club have both been selected in the Cricket NSW female youth academy for the Greater Illawarra Cricket Zone (GICZ).

Ms Lovegrove, a keen batsman, and Ms Malcolm, a keen wicket keeper-batsman, can be found at Batemans Bay cricket nets or at the net in Ms Malcolm's backyard on most weekends and almost every day during the school holidays.

The two 13-year-olds spend their free time watching, dissecting and discussing the latest Australian cricket team performances. However, neither's relationship with the sport started on strong ground.

Ms Malcolm was dragged along to watch her older brother play cricket on the weekends, and never had much interest in the sport until she decided to give it a go aged nine. She has never looked back since.

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Ms Lovegrove spent the first half of her first ever cricket training session bawling her eyes out underneath a tree on the furthest side of the oval from the cricket nets. She was scared, overwhelmed and lonely.

She eventually saw some friends arrive, composed herself and wandered over to participate.

The crying figure underneath the tree two years ago is a far cry from the confident athlete who know loves teaching the boys in the competition to not underestimate a woman.

There is not yet a females-only cricket competition in the Shoalhaven, and so both Ms Lovegrove and Ms Malcolm play in a mixed side with boys, and this has provided great experience.

"I like showing the boys up," Ms Lovegrove said. "They think girls are weaker and they're better.

"If you get a four or a six or a wicket against them it feels better."

Ms Malcolm said playing with boys was an extra challenge, and had helped her develop her skills.

Batemans Bay Cricket Club is in the Shoalhaven District Cricket Association (SDCA).

SCDA, along with south coast, Illawarra and highlands, forms the GICZ.

The girls were among more than 40 players who trialed for the GICZ academy, and were delighted to be selected for the 22 player squad - 14 under 16 players and eight under 19 players.

Selection means the girls will train weekly in Shellharbour with specialist coaches, learning high level skills in accordance with the Cricket NSW curriculum.

An under 16 and an under 19 team from the academy will be selected to represent GICZ at the Cricket NSW Country Championships later this year, competing against the best players from the other eight cricket zones across NSW.

The girls are not fazed by the prospect of being some of the youngest players in the squad. They enjoy building friendships with the older players, and learning from their experience.

Ms Malcolm's father and the pair's coach Andrew Malcolm said having the two girls as trailblazers for local girl's cricket was fantastic for Batemans Bay Cricket Club.

"We have had very few females do that over the years," he said. "To have two is great."

Only one other girl from the SDCA was selected for the academy.

Mr Malcolm hopes girls cricket will grow in popularity and wants to run a girls-only competition in the Shoalhaven on Sundays next season.

Ms Malcolm and Ms Lovegrove want to play cricket as much as they can, and go as far in the sport as possible. They both want to play for Australia, like their idols Alyssa Healy and Meg Lanning.