The 11-year-old was chosen by Cricket ACT to be one of two flag bearers for the one-day-international match between Australia and South Africa at Manuka Oval.

It’s a once in a life time opportunity to meet and greet her cricketing heroes, but there’s one player she’s particularly keen to meet – Australian fast bowler Mitch Johnson.

The Wollondilly Public student was chosen due to her up and coming talent in the sport.

In just her first season playing cricket she was chosen to represent the South Coast Combined High Schools opens side. It means she’ll be playing against girls much older than herself.

Even before she began playing cricket with the under-12s Coolavin Cowgirls team, Isabella had nearly made the NSW state team, only to fall one step short.

Her parents Doug and Lesley Greig couldn’t be more proud of their daughter.

“It’s just unbelievable where’s she’s gotten to and how well she’s picked up the game,” her father told the Post.

“We said to her when we went to pick her up from school that we had some news for her when we got home. We told her, and she said straight away that she knew it was something to do with cricket.”

Liz McPherson, senior development officer with Cricket ACT said she hoped the experience will keep Isabella in the sport for a while longer.

“It feels really good to be able to give this once in a lifetime opportunity to a family that obviously really appreciates this,” she said.

“Hopefully it’ll encourage Isabella to continue playing cricket and to pursuit her representative career.”

McPherson is part of a team running T20 Blast clinics specifically targeted towards girls on Wednesday nights at Eastgrove Park.

Along with Isabella, who was in attendance with her under-12s team on Wednesday, up and coming cricketers Kelly Rowlings and Sophie Davis have been given the reigns to show future female players the ropes of the game.

Previously, female only programs were inexistent in Goulburn.

“Right now we have eight that are registered,” McPherson said.

“Obviously we’d like more, but it’s something to start off with and it’s eight more than what we had before.

“And we had eight girls show up the first week, then the same eight girls show up the second week so it means we’re doing something right. Hopefully next year we can double or triple that.”