January 12, 2013
Kingaroy’s Holly Ferling will be trooping out onto the hallowed turf of the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday with her Queensland Fire colleagues for the grand final of the Women’s National Cricket League following the team’s steamrolling of Victoria on Friday.
A Fire spokesman said the team produced a strong bowling performance and even better effort with the bat to make their way into their first grand final in seven years.
The Fire will go into Sunday’s match as underdogs, but they were in the same position against Victoria and instead proved dominant.
They restricted the Vics to a total of 209 and then overhauled the target in just 13.4 overs with seven wickets in hand.
The Fire will have a huge job on Sunday as they will be coming up against seven-time reigning champion, NSW.
Ferling put in a strong performance for the Fire on Friday, taking 2/41 off 10 overs.
Her pace beat key Victorian opener Ellyse Villani, trapping her in front.
Best of the Queensland bowlers were Jude Coleman, 3/25 off nine overs, and Jemma Barsby, 3/43 off 10 overs.
In reply, the Queensland batters were just too strong.
Mel Bulow (64) and Beth Mooney (64) added 128 for the opening wicket at more than five runs per over.
Queensland captain Jodie Fields continued the demolition of the Victorian bowlers, with 51 (n/o) off 45 balls, including eight fours.
NSW were beaten in the last round of the competition by Victoria – their first loss in three years in 50-over cricket – but rebounded to score a 110-run win over Western Australia in their semi-final, played on an adjoining oval at Blacktown on Friday.
