Launceston will play South Launceston in the 2016-17 Cricket North women’s Twenty20 grand final after defeating Riverside in the preliminary final at Windsor Park on Sunday.
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The Lions were sent in after Riverside won the toss and made 5-94, from their 20 overs.
Opener Madeleine Chick was the anchor of the innings top scoring with 32 and Rhianne Hack was the other main contributor scoring 23 and Madi Hickman making 12.
Riverside captain Sophie Parkin picked up 2-10, off her four overs for the Blues which included the wickets of Launceston captain and opener Victoria Geale and Hack at No.4. Nicola Dusuatoy took 1-19, off four overs and Phoebe Barnett 1-24.
Chasing 98 for victory, the Blues were in trouble early and lost wickets at regular intervals to be dismissed for 54, in 18 overs.
Paige Maynard top scored with 13 batting at No.10 and Parkin made 10 at the top of the order but apart from that the other batters failed to reach double figures.
Hickman and Dana Lester were the leading wicket-takers for the Lions with Hickman picking up 3-10, from her four overs and Lester returning impressive figures of 3-3, off three.
“We batted really well with Maddie Chick, Maddie Hickman and Rhianne Hack all staying in and getting a few runs which is what we needed,” Geale said.
“We ended up getting 97 which is probably one of our highest scores of the season.
“I was reasonably confident of defending that total – my main concern was getting Riverside’s Ianthe Boden out which we managed to do pretty quickly which we were ecstatic about. “We had them about 8-30 at some point off 11 overs and it was absolutely ridiculous – I couldn’t believe it and neither did anyone I think.
“I thought we bowled and fielded really well as a team.”
The grand final will be played on Sunday, March 5, at the NTCA No.2 Ground.
Meanwhile, South Launceston have won the Cricket North girls under-17 grand final with an eight-wicket victory over Mowbray.
The Eagles made 6-92, off their 20 overs batting first with opener Jordyn Hayes top scoring with 19, Danielle Brain making 16 and Emily Scott 15.
South Launceston proved up to the run chase finishing at 2-93, in 14.2 overs.