Source : ABC NEWS
A lot has changed since Nicola Carey hit the winning runs for the Hobart Hurricanes in last year’s WBBL final.
Cricket-wise, her partner Elyse Villani retired and handed over the captaincy.
Life-wise, they’re building a house together and are expecting their first child.
“Now that you’ve pointed it out, I am a bit overwhelmed,” Carey joked.
“We’ve got a bit going on, don’t we?
“Poor thing, Elyse has to carry the baby and do all the admin for the house. We’re both very much looking forward to having a little one.
“People keep asking me if I’m excited, but I don’t think I know fully what’s coming.”
The desire to start a family influenced Villani’s decision to call time on her WBBL career.
The 37-year-old played in every season since the competition started in 2015 and skippered three different clubs during that time.
Elyse Villani retired last year, and Nicola Carey has since taken over the Hurricanes’ captaincy. (Getty Images: Mark Metcalfe)
“Elyse would’ve played cricket forever, but I don’t think her body would’ve allowed it,” Carey said.
“It definitely did play a part, but it’s not a guaranteed thing that you’ll fall pregnant either.”
Following successful IVF treatment, Villani is due to give birth to a boy in November.
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It was a fairly straightforward process, and Carey said she was grateful knowing how tricky fertility could be for some people.
And they are adjusting to the new chapter in their lives, as the Hurricanes open their season against the Sydney Sixers tonight.
Name game
In February, all-rounder Carey played her first match for Australia in four years.
There has been a lot of interstate travel since and overseas tours to the Caribbean and the UK.
Nicola Carey played in Australia’s recent T20I series against New Zealand in Sydney. (Getty Images: Jason McCawley)
“Elyse came over to England for about seven weeks because I was there for the T20 World Cup and The Hundred, and she was calling it a baby moon,” Carey laughed.
“She knows a lot of the players obviously, so it was a huge social get-together and cruisy for her.
“While I was stressed playing terrible cricket she was living her best life.”
“No-one misses pre-season do they. Maybe when we start playing again here for Tassie, she’ll miss it a bit more.”
The couple is aligned when it comes to baby names.
“We’ve got a few names picked out but we haven’t nailed one down yet,” Carey said.
“Every male that we walk past seems to have an opinion though.
“Our CEO at [Cricket Tasmania] Dominic Baker is like, ‘Dom’s a good name,’ and I’m thinking, that’s not even top 100 for us, but thank you for your input.”
Reflecting on the final
The Hurricanes’ victory last December at Bellerive Oval was a dream come true: playing in front of their home fans, claiming a maiden title and sending off Villani in style.
The Hurricanes celebrate last year’s WBBL title. (Getty Images: Steve Ball)
Although Carey was the batter that sealed the result with a boundary, she concedes she had “the easy part” thanks to a record-breaking innings from teammate Lizelle Lee.
The South African opener was the star of the night, as the team chased down 138 runs.
Blasting 77 off 34 balls, Lee equalled the highest individual score in a WBBL finals match.
The women were inspired after watching their male counterparts lift the BBL trophy in January that same year.
It also followed the achievements of a core group of players in the 50-over Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL), clinching three consecutive titles from 2022 to 2024.
The result capped off a wonderful career for Villani, who had previously played in three losing WBBL finals.
The Hurricanes’ WBBL title win last season was a special occasion for the players. (ABC News)
She caught the team by surprise, deciding to retire on the spot and go out on a high.
“I sort of knew it was Elyse’s last season,” Carey said.
“What I didn’t know was that she was going to announce it right then and there.
“She was panicking because she told the TV broadcast in an interview first and was then like, ‘Oh no, now I need to tell the girls.’
“That caught me off guard.
“To finally win one in your last season adds to that fairytale narrative.
“We had a great group and really good people, which made it enjoyable, so to cap it off with that win was really special.”
Despite originally hailing from NSW and Victoria, the couple has now been living in the Apple Isle for a long time and is passionate about ensuring the next generation of the state’s talent is set up for sustainable success.
“It’s been a nice period of cricket in Tasmania,” Carey said.
“A lot of us aren’t from there originally, but they’ve taken us in and welcomed us.
“Because it’s so small, everyone lives five minutes away, so you spend a lot more time together than you would in the bigger cities, where you’re more spread out.
“It’s got a real family feel, so it’s nice to be able to give back.”
