The efforts of both teams were equal and the ebbs and flows of the contest were evenly shared, as the two teams answered each other’s challenges.
After travelling to Wareena Park, Wangaratta on a warm spring evening, an enthusiastic crowd gathered in the shade of the giant pine trees to support both teams in their first ever encounter. Both teams gathered together to be welcomed to the competition and congratulations were extended to all clubs in the competition who have entered teams into the All-Girls Cricket League (AGCL).
The W&DCA have appointed local product, Grace Kirwan (Carlton CC) to act as the AGCL Ambassador and visit the clubs to encourage the girls at training.
Grace addressed the groups to wish them the best of luck.
It was Lakers Captain, Kirsty Plevnik who called correctly at the bat flip and elected to field first. Stella Hill delivered the first ball on target, and it resulted in no run. She finished with 5 from the over, before handing the ball to Hannah Morris, who also conceded only 5 runs from another tidy over.
Elsie and Rosie Lidgerwood were next to bowl and combined to tidy things up and strangle the run rate to 0.66 runs per ball.
Rosie took the first wicket when Bella Ward camped under a top-edge and cooly accepted the chance.
Lilly Lewis bowled very well and only two lucky swings of the bat saw runs to the boundary.
Ward took the ball in hand and shattered the stumps with her first delivery to have the crowd roar with approval.
She finished with the excellent figures of 1 for 4. Kate Giblett and Kirsty Plevnik took to the opposition batters causing panic, swings and misses.
Both conceded a boundary each from end of the innings bashes.
At 67, the RUBCC total came to a stop and with the nerves now settled after time in the field, the run chase was on.
Morris and Hill formed the opening partnership and had 8 runs on the board without loss at the end of their compulsory allocation of balls faced completed.
Lidgerwood and Lidgerwood then went to work, and the run rate steadily climbed to see the target further reduced, this time by 14 runs.
Bella Ward and Lily Lewis repeated the dose, also contributing a 14-run partnership towards the chase and putting the Lakers within striking distance of the RUBCC’s score.
It was now left to Kate Giblett and Kirsty Plevnik to steer the ship home and after a tight first over, a flurry of boundaries came along at the right time and brought the contest down to the wire.
A scurried single to the Captain off the last ball, saw the Lakers total draw level with the opposition and at 67 runs apiece, the match was declared a tie.
The unlikely result made the rearrest of appearances in the very first contest between the two rivals. The teams came together and shook hands to offer congratulations to all involved.
The girls were wrapped to finally be playing and now look forward to their next match against Benalla when they travel to Arundel Street Oval on Friday, November 24.
Stella Hill was awarded the Lakers award for best player.
