It wasn’t to be for Sunshine’s Maryam Omar in the Renegades Recruit.
Omar, who plays for Carlton and Sunshine Heights, made it through to the final three of the reality competition which hunts for the next cricket star.
After a public vote was held and coach Simon Helmot had his vote, Geelong’s Grace Jones was named the winner.
Jones will have the the chance to train with the Renegades’ WBBL|09 squad and help the team in their preparations for the upcoming season, along with some other prizes.
Speaking on the final episode of the recruit before the announcement, Omar said she already felt like she was a winner.
She said if she had won it would have meant the world to her and thanked her husband and mother for their support.
“As much as I’m very competitive to go for number one, I’m really, really genuinely happy and grateful for the opportunity to be in the top three,” she said.
“Some of the girls that I have never played with before. It’s nice to get to know them and see them compete their hearts out to compete for the spot.
“It’s really good competition skills and talent out there.”
Helmot spoke highly of Omar before making the decision and the incredible story of coming from Kuwait to follow her cricket dream.
“She’ll continue to learn about her bowling, but she’s accurate, very keen to learn and certainly open to feedback,” he said.
“From a batting point of view, a strong batter and can hit both sides of the wicket, which is important.
“Where she really shone, was how committed she was to the group. A people’s person and what I call a team’s person and she showed that in a small space.”
