Sladjana is the Serbia Women’s team captain, playing as an all-rounder. She spoke to Ildikó back in November 2023 about how women’s cricket is developing in Serbia, after one of the men’s players DMed Daisy Cutter on Instagram asking if we’d like to hear about something “a bit niche” – to which the answer is always yes!
My first exposure to cricket came during my time working at a camp for migrants, representing the Red Cross. After a few months, a colleague approached me with an intriguing question: “Since I know you play various sports and aren’t afraid of the ball, would you like to try cricket and be part of the women’s team?” And that’s how my cricket adventure began.
I consider myself an all-rounder, but my favorite position is as a batter. I enjoy both batting and bowling, and I like to contribute in multiple aspects of the game.In Serbia we face some challenges as we are at the beginning of our cricket journey, with a limited number of female players. We don’t have separate domestic women’s teams yet, so we often supplement existing teams with girls or boys to ensure we can play in the right format. For now, I play for Stari Grad CC.
In the near future, we are planning various initiatives and promotions at colleges to encourage more girls to join us. Our goal is to establish a women’s league in Serbia, allowing us to compete more consistently. In the meantime, we often play with men’s teams in the B league and participate in “weekend leagues” organised mainly by the Indian community in Belgrade. This mixed format provides us with valuable opportunities to improve our skills and enjoy the sport.
In the ‘Weekend League” our typical setup involves a team with a blend of 3-4 girls and 7-8 men playing together in a single match. That usually means that, regardless of the number of girls present at a match, all of them actively participate.
In terms of funding, the Serbia Cricket Federation (and some donors) supports us in financing our participation in tournaments and the purchase of equipment. Training sessions are provided free of charge for all new female members, aiming to motivate more girls to at least try playing cricket.
For now, cricket isn’t widely recognized in Serbia, with older generations often confusing it with other sports. But the younger generation is learning more about the game. Typically, youngsters get involved through school cricket promotions or by word of mouth from friends. And as for the girls, each of them came to cricket in some interesting way.
This year, we were thrilled to welcome Jovana to our team. Jovana is the wife of one of the players on our national team, and her interest in cricket blossomed through her husband’s involvement in the sport. Jovana couldn’t join us last year because she was pregnant, so she joined us this year, bringing her baby son with us to a competition in Corfu. She would feed the baby during breaks and between innings, then come back and field and take catches. It was an inspiration for the whole team, showing that we can do anything.
This year I was honoured to be chosen as the captain of the national team. I had nurtured my passion for cricket, training diligently for over a year, attending sessions 3-4 times a week. This role allowed me to leverage all the skills and knowledge I’ve accumulated, ensuring that every member of the team has an equal opportunity for success. The unwavering support of both experienced players and enthusiastic newcomers has been invaluable for me.
Our recent tournament experience in Greece was nothing short of exceptional. It offered us a chance to assess our progress over the past year and connect with teams from Romania and Greece. We also had the pleasure of playing against the women’s team from Luxembourg for the first time. This tournament was particularly significant as we had the opportunity to compete as a full women’s team against other women’s teams – a rare opportunity for us, as in Serbia we usually play against men.
What struck me most during this tournament was the sheer beauty of women’s cricket. While I hold great respect for men’s cricket, I discovered that the women’s game has its unique allure. Although there were previous attempts to establish a women’s team in Serbia, it wasn’t until 2022 that it became fully formed. We’ve been training promising young talents in schools and hope to have them join the team in the next couple of years. This will pave the way for women’s league matches in Serbia and contribute to the growth of cricket among women.
I entered this sport relatively late, in that I am already 30 years old. My biggest wish is to motivate other girls to play cricket and be physically active. I hope that I will be able to play for a long time, but I have also completed the ICC L1 course for coaches so that I can train beginners.
In Serbia, it’s a common trend for girls to discontinue their sports activities during high school. For most sports, restarting at a later age can be challenging, and they often find themselves limited to indoor/gym sports, which can also be expensive. Since cricket is a sport that welcomes girls and women of various ages, our goal is to encourage them to continue playing and stay engaged in sports for longer.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my journey and thoughts on women’s cricket. It’s a game that’s not only close to my heart but also holds immense potential for growth and empowerment in Serbia.
Daisy Cutter 
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