Australia’s oldest national softball championship kicks off in Adelaide this Saturday, marking the start of 24 games over four days to determine the 2022 Gilley's Shield champion.

Barratt Reserve in West Beach will host this year’s tournament, the 10^th time South Australia has held the prestigious event.

The Australian Open Women’s Softball Championship has been conducted every year since its inception in 1947, except for 1948 when it was not held and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Click here to view the 2022 Open Women’s Championship Program.

The SA Starz have been on the cusp of victory for several years, and the home ground advantage combined with new faces in the line-up could be enough to see them finally take the title for the first time since 1956. Olympian Belinda White leads the side from behind the plate, while young gun Millie Fidge will be one to watch as she makes her debut on the mound at senior level.

Meanwhile, history beckons for the New South Wales Firestars. A win this year and they become the most successful state in Gilley’s Shield history, eclipsing the record of 22 titles held by Victoria. The Firestars line-up features no less than three Tokyo Olympians in Stacey McManus, Michelle Cox, and Taylah Tsitsikronis, and is complemented by the experience of Shannon Keevers, Tahli Moore, Montana Kearnes, and Jasmine Peters.

Established NSW stars Stacey Porter, Kaia Parnaby, and Ellen Roberts are absent from the team, but with young guns Bridie Murphy, Charli Orsini, and Chantelle Ladner emerging as pitching threats, Head Coach Kerrie Porter should have enough options to help control the contest.

The Queensland Heat are also expected to feature on the final day, with a line-up that boasts a talented blend of youth and experience. Co-captains Erin West and Sandra Holden provide invaluable big-game experience, while Tamieka Whitefield, Dorinda Stone and Laura Coulter are all expected to also perform well for the Maroons.

2022 could be the year that brings the ACT’s Clare Warwick her first national title, but Warwick, Brooke Spence, and veterans Alexis Cooper and Melanie Thorburn will need to have great tournaments if the ACT are to feature on Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, one of the most recognisable surnames in softball makes a return to the National Championship for the ACT. Rookie Samantha McCreedy will pull on the blue, white, and yellow more than 20 years after her mother and Australian softball royalty Sally McCreedy won two Best Batter awards and a Midge Nelson MVP in the 1990’s.

The Victorian Titans have history on their side and will be buoyed by the return of veteran Emily Pateras, but head coach Mark Rigg will also need the youth and talent of Breanna Trim, Meaghan Grah and Nicky Martin to shine though if the Titans tare to compete for championship glory.

This year’s tournament brings a level of excitement not seen at a Gilley’s Shield in several years. Many Olympians and Aussie Spirit players from recent years are retired or have commitments overseas, throwing open the competition and setting the stage for a fierce tournament.

Players will also be vying for selection in a new-look Aussie Spirit squad, with the Canada Cup, World Games, and World Cup qualifiers headlining a busy 2022 international schedule.