Brown speeds into season 2025-26 with fresh mindset

Maitlan Brown has been putting the speed gun to the test ahead of the Australia A four-day match against India A

Maitlan Brown is feeling the need for speed – and she’s ready to unleash it with the red ball against India A.

Brown has declared her game is in the best place it's ever been, after she adopted a fresh mindset with the help of new NSW Breakers head coach – and former Australian women's team psychologist – Pete Clarke.

The 28-year-old Brown has arrived in Brisbane to join the Australia A squad ahead of their four-day showdown with India A starting on Thursday at Allan Border Field.

"I feel really freaking good," Brown told cricket.com.au.

"Last year I had a bit of struggle with injury and it was really tough.

"So, to come into this year and try to draw a line in the sand and put the frustrations behind me and just look forward has been my main focus.

"We've got Pete Clark now with the Breakers running the show, and he's unbelievable ... I'm coming at this season (with a mindset of) having a fresh start.

"When I was talking about my frustrations, he's like, 'Well, if you just be the best you can, then you don't have to worry about anything else' – so that's been my focus and I genuinely feel like I'm almost there as the best I've been."

Brown's frustrations with her 2024-25 stemmed from a calf injury she suffered during the opening round of the WNCL in September, and which lingered into her WBBL|11 season with the Sydney Sixers.

Even when fit, she was behind the eight ball when it came to getting an opportunity with the ball in a stacked Sixers pace attack.

"I just wasn't able to contribute to the team as much I would have liked, didn't really get as many overs as I would have liked as well," she said.

"But everyone was doing their role, and it's just hard when you come into a team that's kind of already established as well, in that sense.

"So now I'm just like, 'I'll just have to be better', and that's what I've been thinking about … just being the best I can and letting the rest take care of itself."

10:15 Play video Australia A v India A | Third one-day match

An adventure-packed break at the end of the 2024-25 season saw Brown and her husband David take a trip to Queenstown with New Zealand star Melie Kerr and her partner Nathan, before a fishing and camping road trip to K'gari (Fraser Island) with NSW teammates Hannah Darlington and Anika Learoyd - which even saw the trio called upon to help rescue a stranded baby whale.

It left Brown in a refreshed mood entering the 2025-26 preseason, where increasing her pace was the priority as the speed gun became her closest companion in the training nets.

While she's not yet hitting the consistent 120-plus kph zone that is considered the benchmark for the quickest in the women's game, Brown is rapt with the gains she has already made, and now sees translating those bursts to sustained efforts during actual matches as her next challenge.

"I feel I definitely am (bowling) the fastest I've ever bowled," Brown said.

"I hit a 114kph on the radar the other day, which is hectic ... I feel excited.

"Each time I bowl, I've been getting the gun out, and I've been working on a few technical things, and then basically just upping my intensity as much as I can.

"And gym work as well, being able to kick some decent weights around in the gym, I feel like I'm just setting a good foundation of strength and it's really helped maintain that intensity throughout.

"The radar has kept me accountable to measure of what I want to hit and I get competitive with it as well, it's really cool being able to chase some numbers.

"It's just about the sustainability of it now – how can I do it for the whole season, and not just once or twice a week at training when I have downtime.

"Especially with the four-dayer coming up, that's going to be a test, and I'll probably have to ebb and flow between my intensities but hopefully I can bowl nice and fast up there as well."

Off the field, Brown has also kept busy building the popular podcast she runs with NSW teammate Hannah Darlington, 'She's in the Game'.

Earlier this year the pair launched a range of merchandise, and their plans include a series of digital masterclasses and an in-person clinic.

"The pod is so cool," Brown said. "It's so nice to be able to have something ticking away from what we're doing on the field and being able to have an impact on the younger generation, and young girls in particular, is exactly what drives the podcast, and it's the reason why we started.

"We want to create this sense of community and girlhood with our pod.

"There's so many reasons why we love it, it's also great for our own development whether it's media skills or we get to learn more about our teammates, even though we think we know everything.

"It's rewarding from so many different perspectives."

Australia A v India A multi-format series

Australia A four-day squad: Tahlia Wilson (c), Nicole Faltum (vc), Lauren Cheatle, Maddy Darke, Amy Edgar, Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Ella Hayward, Anika Learoyd, Maitlan Brown, Lilly Mills, Georgia Prestwidge, Rachel Trenaman, Courtney Webb

India A four-day squad: Radha Yadav (c), Minnu Mani (vc), Shafali Verma, Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Tanushree Sarkar, Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Nandini Kashyap (wk), Dhara Gujjar, Joshita VJ, Shabnam Shakeel, Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu, Prema Rawat

All matches live on cricket.com.au and Kayo Sports.

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