McKeon returns home to lead WA after Stars stint

Ines McKeon loves playing cricket.

Give her any tournament, any format, any team to play for – she just wants more opportunities to be out on a cricket ground.

From Europe to Australia, from the west coast to the east coast, McKeon has multiple cricketing sides to show on her resume at just 17 years of age.

The wicketkeeper-batter who hails from Western Australia has played 16 T20Is for France – her mother's country of birth – and has been part of two tri-series for Australia Under-19s.

Such is her penchant for finding herself in different teams, she was making her WBBL debut in Melbourne Stars colours in October, a couple of weeks after featuring for the Perth Scorchers in the T20 Spring Challenge.

The Stars added her to their squad just before the Weber WBBL|10 season, impressed by her performance in the new competition and the preceding tri-series in Brisbane, and she was more than happy to make the move to have the opportunity to play alongside some of the biggest Australian and international names.

"I'm just trying to play as much cricket as I can. That's the main thing, just trying to experience it everywhere," McKeon told cricket.com.au of her time in the Stars camp who had the likes of Meg Lanning and Marizanne Kapp in their squad.

"In the nets, there are some of your idols and you're just wondering how they go about it and just trying to learn.

"Just having conversations with them and (watching) how they go about their cricket, how they think and how they play."

Merely a week has passed since her debut WBBL season came to an end and the youngster is all set to be back on the field again – this time in her state colours and with the added responsibility of leading the WA side at the U19 Female National Championships.

The Cricket Australia Talent Pathways tournament will be played over eight days in Perth beginning December 2 and will double as the final audition for spots at the upcoming U19 Women's World Cup in Malaysia.

Unbothered by the quick turnaround, McKeon termed the competition as a great opportunity to play against the best young players in the country.

After starring with the bat for WA in last year's tournament, where she finished as the leading run-scorer, McKeon is now looking forward to taking on the captaincy responsibilities.

"I'm very honoured to lead this group and looking forward to really put ourselves out there and really perform and back ourselves," she said.

"We've done all the training and to finally be here, it's actually kind of quick, to be honest, but I can't wait to lead the side.

"It will be a good competition."

With WBBL experience under her belt, McKeon will bring in the learnings from playing with and against the top players from around the world to the WA group this year.

In Lanning, she got to pick the brains of one of the greatest batters and leaders on the cricketing field in her time with the Stars.

"She's great with having a plan and wanting to get the job done. Just that competitive side of her, which I love," McKeon said of Lanning.

While she might not have discussed leadership with Lanning, it's hard to miss the former Australian skipper's influence when she talks about her expectations of her captaincy stint with the WA U19 side.

"I think we just want to play fearlessly and just be brave and take the positive options," McKeon said.

"Hopefully the outcome will do its thing, and we only worry about just the process."

The same attitude also reflects in her batting.

Sent in to open the innings in her debut WBBL game, McKeon hit Alana King down the ground for six for her first runs. She went on to make that first knock in the competition worth 50.

"Stay true to myself," she describes her batting style and philosophy.

"I've always talked to my coaches about how I want to play – being true to yourself, playing to your strengths and backing yourself, making sure you have that confidence to really perform."

McKeon says she is well prepared if selected to play in the U19 World Cup in January.

Australia have played two tri-series in the lead-up to the tournament, which McKeon says will help them in taking on different opponents in different conditions come the tournament.

"We went to Sri Lanka on the last tour, and just playing against Sri Lanka and getting bullied over there and then coming over to Brisbane, we won all the games there," McKeon said.

"I think it's a good preparation leading into that.

"Playing in a different environment, on different pitches, with different bowlers."

For now, she is focused on giving her best as a player and as a captain in the U19 National Championships and she is excited about playing with the WA group.

"We've got a pretty good line up, to be honest," she said.

"Morgan Pires – she can do well with the ball and the bat. Natasha Kelsey – she's pretty good as well, left-arm in-swing.

"Everyone can bat, most people can bowl too."