Introducing Sonia and Alex
With the 2019 KIA Super League now just weeks away, we continue our look at this season’s Western Storm squad.
Amongst the new faces for the Storm this year will be Sonia Odedra and Alex Griffiths.
Sonia has previous experience of the KSL having represented Loughborough Lightning in 2016 and 2017. The 31-year-old medium-fast right-hander plays her county cricket for Nottinghamshire and has featured in a Test match for England in 2014.
After signing for Western Storm, she said: “I’m really excited to be joining Western Storm for 2019 and I can’t wait to meet up with the team. I know a lot of them from the England Academy set-up, so it will be particularly good to catch up with them.
“The KSL has been really successful on a number of levels over the last three years and there’s been a huge amount of interest in it. The games have been televised and the crowds have been good too.
“I’m looking forward to sharing experiences with the overseas players. Smriti is a really big name and was the leading run-scorer last year. It will be great to work with Deepti, Rachel, Heather, Anya and all the other girls too.
“Western Storm have won the title in the past and have been to every Finals Day so far, so I’d love to be able to play a part in us winning it again this year.”
Alex is a right-handed all-rounder who has been involved with Western Storm’s pathway over the last few years and was part of the team’s training squad in 2018. She plays her county cricket for Wales and isn’t daunted by the new challenge that faces her.
“It still hasn’t quite sunk in that I’ll be playing in the KSL for Western Storm,” she said. “This is so big for me and I can’t wait. It’s going to be a really big learning curve but I’m really excited that I’m going to be involved. It will all be about learning what I can and taking it from there.
“I spent some time with the squad last year, so I got to know them quite well. I’ve also played against a lot of them too. I’ve been in the environment, so hopefully that will help me make the most of this opportunity.”
Western Storm Head Coach, Trevor Griffin said: “The squad has a great balance this year. Sonia is a very good player who will bring a wealth of experience to the group, and that will definitely be of benefit to our younger players.
“We’re delighted that Alex will be with us this year because she has worked her way through our South West Regional Development Centre. To have players in the squad who have come through our pathway is vital for the continued growth of the women’s game at this level. She is a player that we have spent a lot of time with over the last 12 months and she is an exciting talent.”
Sonia Odedra images courtesy of Getty Images
