Perth Paralympic star Taishar Ovens lauds expanded National Wheelchair Basketball League
Perth Wheelcats veteran and Paralympic star Taishar Ovens hopes an expanded National Wheelchair Basketball League will boost Australia on the global stage.
Ovens' decorated decade-long career has seen her fly the flag for her nation at international events multiple times, including the Tokyo Paralympics.
And she hopes the national competition expanding from four teams to six this season will help find the next generation of stars and push Australia towards Paralympic gold.
'Having more teams and more competition means hopefully we are going to get more players in the pathways to the Gliders and the Devils to be a more competitive national team,' she told The West Australian.
'Super excited to have some more rounds and women's teams this season and have some good healthy competition, which we've been lacking for a while.
'It's the biggest expansion we've had in a while, and it's just been driven by the number of people who want to be involved.
'Post COVID-19 (the growth) has been insane, I would say, even overseas with Australian players going over there to play, and now it's coming back into Australia.'
Ovens has previously represented the Red Dust Heelers but says playing for her home team in Perth is 'special'.
'Coming back to a Perth team and playing in my home state is really special because you can get your family and friends around the games a lot more,' the 27-year-old said.
'I think with Perth, we're very lucky; we've got some really good natural talent.
'We like to play a real team game, but a big one to look out for is Ebony (Stevenson), who won rookie of the year last year, so hopefully, we see some good things from her again this season.'
Perth will be hunting their fourth women's national title when the league tips off on May 30.
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"Almost everything that you've worked hard for, the peak of your powers, being able to put it in front of the world to see. "It's almost like saying this is the best of me, you can either take it or leave it, but this is all I've got." Maxwell would hit the winning runs in the final against India, after also getting the key wicket of Rohit Sharma with the ball. "Congratulations to Glenn on what has been one of the most exciting and influential one-day international careers in the format's history," Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg said."Glenn's ballistic batting has lit up the cricket world and been one of the cornerstones of Australia's continued success in the 50 over game, including his heroic role in the 2023 World Cup triumph."
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Glenn Maxwell has been hailed as one of the most influential figures in one-day cricket history after the destructive batsman retired from the 50-over format. Maxwell announced on Monday he had played his last ODI for Australia, instead opting to focus solely on Twenty20 cricket ahead of next year's World Cup in India and Sri Lanka amid concerns over his body. The 36-year-old's exit from the format comes after Steve Smith also walked away following this year's Champions Trophy, part of a national changing of the guard. Maxwell finishes with the second highest strike-rate in ODI history, with his 3149 career runs struck at a rate of 126.70 and average of 33.81. He also has both the fastest hundred and only double century by an Australian, after his back-to-back epics against Netherlands and Afghanistan in the 2023 World Cup. Maxwell said he had been tempted to play on until Australia's title defence in 2027, but felt his body could no longer handle 50 overs in the field during the Champions Trophy. "I started to think if I don't have the perfect conditions in 50-over cricket, my body probably struggles to get through," Maxwell said in an extended interview on the Final Word Podcast. "I realised it was probably a bit far-fetched to to keep I suppose reaching for that next series and try to hold on. "In reality, I think I'd be doing a disservice to the team ... more hoping rather than expecting to get through. "I don't think that would be fair to anyone." Maxwell broke onto the scene when he was picked for an ODI against Pakistan in Sharjah in 2012 as a batting allrounder. He almost immediately followed the line of Michael Bevan and Mike Hussey as great middle-order talents, albeit with more flair and punch. The right-hander played a prominent role in Australia's 2015 success on home soil, belting 102 from 53 balls against Sri Lanka in a match at the SCG. He was dropped from the team a year later, but was back for the 2019 World Cup and then had his crowning moment four years later in India. With Australia's spot in the tournament in peril, Maxwell famously blasted an unbeaten 201 from 128 balls while batting on one leg to take Australia from 7-91 to a successful chase of 292 against Afghanistan. "I'm extremely fortunate that I was able to have my moment," Maxwell said. "Almost everything that you've worked hard for, the peak of your powers, being able to put it in front of the world to see. "It's almost like saying this is the best of me, you can either take it or leave it, but this is all I've got." Maxwell would hit the winning runs in the final against India, after also getting the key wicket of Rohit Sharma with the ball. "Congratulations to Glenn on what has been one of the most exciting and influential one-day international careers in the format's history," Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg said."Glenn's ballistic batting has lit up the cricket world and been one of the cornerstones of Australia's continued success in the 50 over game, including his heroic role in the 2023 World Cup triumph."
