The former Orange CYMS player bagged 15 wickets during the regular season for Sydney Cricket Club at an average of 9.33. She also scored 232 runs @33.1 in a year where Sydney beat Penrith in the grand final.

Churchland said it was a big surprise.

"It's a pretty big honour to be named in the team of the year. I wasn't expecting it and I was pretty happy that it happened," she said.

"Unfortunately we were quite interrupted with the rain that happened during summer, but it was still nice to get out there, play a bit of cricket and end up winning our premiership too."

An off-spinner, Churchland was only thrown the ball for the 50-over games, but given the opportunity she certainly made the most of it. In a four game stretch to end the season, she finished with match figures of 3-32, 5-32, 4-27 and 3-31, all of which came in victories.

"It's pretty funny, I'm not going to lie," Churchland said of her fast finish to the year.

Having played in the first grade set up for more than a decade, she's even starting to see some familiar faces come back into the fold.

"A few of the girls that I first played with when I was 18, they are back and playing," Churchland said.

"So we have a few of the original girls and we've got some really young, talented players coming up which is nice to see."

But it's also the Central West youngsters - such as Bathurst product and Penrith player Callee Black - coming through the ranks that has Churchland excited for the future.

"It's always great to see country kids. I think the grade competition in Sydney has got quite a high percentage of country kids who play," she said.

"Even a few girls down from near Albury come up and play every now and then. It's a good competition for the girls to get experience in female cricket, rather than playing male cricket."

Sydney Cricket Club's Russel Grimson was awarded the Women's Coach of the Year after leading the first-grade team to their second premiership flag in three years. Sydney also took out the Club Championship.

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