By Tara Murray
Melton Centrals are still letting the realisation they have claimed the Cricket Victoria Women’s Community Cricket north-west B T20 competition sink in.
Centrals, in just their second season, defeated EMP/Willy Congs in the grand final late last year to claim their first premiership.
Centrals captain-coach Candace Hulett said there was still plenty of excitement around over the win.
“I didn’t think we’d make finals for the first three to four years, let alone win one,” she said.
“All the effort we’ve been putting in at training is really paying off. We’re over the moon as a team, as is the whole club.”
Centrals claimed an easy win in the grand final after the two teams split the results during the regular season.
The Congs won the grand final toss and elected to bat, but from there the Centrals took control, restricting the Congs to 3-91.
Lauren McGrath, Erin and Tara Keenan were the wicket takers for Centrals.
The Centrals’ run chase got off to a slow start thanks to the loss of an early wicket, before steadying to reach the target with nine wickets and four overs in hand.
Centrals finished on 1-92, Tara Keenan top-scoring with 41 not out.
Hulett, who finished on 29 not out, said the day couldn’t have gone any better.
“From the first ball everything went right,” she said. “We bowled well and then we batted well. Our younger players fielded so well and were always in the game.
“There’s not a lot of words to describe the feeling, everything was so good on the day,”
Tara Keenan, named best afield, is just 13 and has a bright future ahead of her.
Centrals’ focus now turns to the one-day competition.
They played their third match of that competition on Sunday against EMP/Willy Congs.
Centrals struggled to 8-73 from their overs, with the Congs racing to the target to finish 1-74.
Centrals are 2-1 after three matches.
Hulett said the T20 win had made them reassess their expectations for the one-day competition.
“Probably the strongest competition in the one-day competition is EMP,” she said.
“We know that we can beat them. We definitely want to make finals and, hopefully, the grand final.”
St Anthonys had the bye.
