After being asked in 2005 by a friend to fill in, Callinan has become a fixture of both the Bundoora mixed indoor cricket team and the Victorian women’s side.

Life has become a balancing act, with training twice a week and playing Saturday afternoons fitting in around work. And there’s no downtime either.

“In the off-season you play a bit of outdoor cricket to keep the body going as well, to build up. Some girls do and some don’t, they prefer to have time off,” Callinan says.

Of course there are also the other sports Callinan plays, including basketball “for fun” and football “for fitness”.

As a sport, indoor cricket is not particularly well known, making it an occasionally expensive hobby.

“We have to subsidise our own trips,’’ Callinan says. “I don’t get paid when I’m away.

‘‘You’ve got to budget ahead and know that’s what you’ve got set aside.”

Competing in the 2007 Indoor Cricket World Cup in Bristol, England, was particularly rough financially, but remains Callinan’s proudest achievement. She describes getting a buzz from walking into the centre, and being proud to wear the Aussie green and gold.

She also flew the Aussie flag in the 2008 Trans Tasman test series against New Zealand, but the following year injury troubles kept her sidelined. If anything, the lost year has increased her determination to get fit and help Victoria win back-to-back championships this year as well as making the Australian World Cup team to play in South Africa.

Callinan says it’s unfortunate that Victorian women’s indoor cricket is not as popular here as in the rest of the country.

“We have to play mixed – we’ve tried having a girl’s section but we’re lucky to get four or five teams, and that’s spread all over Victoria.”

But she admits playing with guys benefits all team members.

“For me I find it’s a challenge when I bowl to a guy – it’s almost like I work harder… I think it opens up guys’ minds saying that girls are just as good.”

Callinan cheerfully admits to loving sports of any kind but describes indoor cricket as her current passion in life.

“The main thing is to win the National Championship in Perth, and as a bonus to make the Australian side for the World Cup,’’ she says. “It’s a team goal, and the side’s looking really good.”