Girls Cricket Into The State Semis

The last match was held at Bolwarra Oval. The girls were given the chance to bowl and they were keen to start the game. Thalia Parsons opened the bowling with a maiden, what a great start. Liz Varley then matched it with a maiden of her own. The third over results in the first run being scored, a nice slice from a Mulbring bat. Varley rewarded the girl by bowling her out the very next over. Parsons opened the fifth over by clean bowling the opening batswoman. Varley rounded out her opening spell with a third consecutive maiden. The next pair of bowlers came out and ran an economical run rate of of just over 3 runs an over for the next six overs. Kiara Smith bowled their first drop for a duck and Brittney Cooper just kept getting better with each over. Mulbring went to drinks on 3/25. The game was tight, but our girls were confident.

After the break, we finished Parsons and Varley of with their two overs each. Parsons was smashed for a boundary before Varley lured the very same batsman to the crease and then clean bowled her. Parsons finished with another maiden. Mulbring was on 4/32.

Naomi McCann and Livvy Harbrow came on for a break of pace. Naomi opened with four dot balls and then faltered with a no ball. This was quickly rectified as she set up the batter to hit a catch to Kiara Smith's waiting hands. Livvy kept the ball economical on her end rocking out figures of 0/8 off three overs, a tidy little run rate of just under 3 runs an over. Naomi felt the buzz of taking a wicket and decided she wanted more. A three wicket maiden was delivered, with only one dot ball separating a hat-trick.

The overs would run out with Mulbring posting 7/54, a highly commendable effort.

Lunch was quick, and our girls could not wait to bat. Parsons would open the first ball with a smart block. Separate singles were then traded with her partner at the crease, Varley. Their nine over stand would hold until Varley was bowled by the opposition's pace attack. Their partnership would yield 29 runs, a solid stand indeed.

Smith came to the crease and saw off three overs showing why she has been placed up the order with her handy whippet-like runs between the creases for doubles and byes aplenty. Smith would unfortunately lose her stand when she hit her own wicket with bat while concurrently being nailed with a speed ball in the thigh. Her departure would send out McCann who was unfortunate to be bowled very quickly.

Cooper decided she could lend Parsons a hand on the pitch and knocked in a sneaky six runs to aid us in finishing the match victorious, and with a bag off wickets and overs to spare.

Parson led the team to victory with an undefeated knock of 15 runs, but then was clean bowled as she attmepted to tonk the ball into the middle of next week. Regardless to say, the bowled stayed in the present and her bails were dislodged to the ground.

The girls all played well on the day with Bea Torpey, Alice Collison, Shannon and Shayleen Weller, Shania Simms and Jade Garrick all keeping their eyes on the prize the entire time while in the field. They chased down leg side smashes and advanced in with the bowler every time.

One person not to be forgotten was our courageous wicket keeper, Luci Maddison. She has kept the entirety of every game this year and she does so with aplomb and skill at all times. She is easily one of the most naturally gifted keepers this school has ever had the pleasure of producing.

Woman of the match was Thalia Parsons with a, nearly not out, hit of 15 runs, and great figures of bowling 1/7 off 5 overs. Bowler of the day was Naomi McCann who took a chart topping 4/1 off three overs, managing to not have any runs given away off the bat.

The team will now continue to train as we prepare for the semi-final match which will be played on Tuesday the 9th of December at Maitland Park.