Tara Murray
While most players fail to hit a 100 in the T20 format in their lives, Caroline Springs’ Caitlin Pretty hit three in the space of four weeks in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association women’s competition.
Pretty has been a star for the Falcons since joining the club in their second season, playing a massive role in the side making back-to-back finals.
This year she has taken her game to the next level.
Heading into the grand final, Pretty had made 538 runs at an average of just under 90.
Pretty made her first 100 in round nine, hitting 102 not out off 59.
She backed it up two weeks later with 101 off 47 balls and then 100 off 60 balls the following round.
She had also hit another three half centuries.
Pretty is as shocked as anyone with her run of form.
“It’s been fun,” she said. “It was a bit of a fluke and then it happened again. It’s good to get out there and swing at it.
“That’s me really, it’s good fun.”
Pretty said nothing had changed in her preparation for each match. She said having a good side which was always improving had helped her be able to play her game.
In the VTCA, Pretty is just one of two players from first XI sides to hit three centuries this season.
She said she was shocked and honoured to have been able to achieve that.
Pretty said she played a little bit of cricket growing up, with her dad a cricket man. She said she had learned a lot from him.
“I gave it a miss the first year they had a side,” he said. “Alisha Fowler got me in and I haven’t looked back since then.”
Pretty said they were better prepared to face Westmeadows in the final game of the year.
“Last year we had a lot of fill-ins, this year we were really consistent,” she said.
“We’ve had some younger players as well. We have come so far in the last 12 months, hopefully we can get the win.”
A premiership would cap off a big 12 months for Pretty on the sporting field. Pretty captained Caroline Springs’ women’s team to its first Western Region Football League premiership.
Pretty said it would be pretty cool to win both cricket and football grand finals in the same season.
“I love them both equally,” she said. “It would be fantastic to win both cricket and football grand finals in the same year.
