BDCA women’s: Marist stun Colts with 64-run preliminary final win to seal grand final place

Marist have come from last position on the Bunbury and Districts Cricket Association women’s first-grade ladder to seal a grand final place, beating Colts by 64 runs in the preliminary final at Bunbury Recreation Ground on Sunday.

The Blues finished their innings on 7-168 before showing their strength with the ball. They bowled Colts out for 104 in an innings that never had the target under threat.

Marist finished the four-team competition’s home and away season in fourth place on the ladder having won only three of their 12 games but still progressed to the finals and will now face off against Leschenualt in the season decider.

Meanwhile, the result will see Colts’ wait for a flag in the top women’s competition — which they have participated in every season of — extend into another season.

The Blues’ brilliant batting effort was the sum of efforts from an even spread of contributors, with six of their nine batters making double-digit scores.

After starting in circumspect fashion, Zoe Buck (23 from 40 balls) and Jess Clarke (12 from 31 balls) got their innings away with a 44-run opening stand.

Gabrielle House (26 from 26 balls) and Ava Dodds (17 from 21 balls) took up the mantle after the departure of the openers while also upping the run rate through the middle overs.

At the back end of the innings, Holly Bilcich (26 from 35 balls) and Nargis Madadi (16 not out from 18 balls) took over to further bolster Marist’s total.

Brittany Wilson (2-35 from six overs) was Colts’ only multiple wicket-taker, being on a hat-trick in the penultimate over after knocking over Bilcich and Madison Steer in consecutive deliveries.

Young all-rounder Addison Hall was her side’s most economical bowler, taking 1-15 from six overs.

With the ball, the Blues’ opening pair of Quinn Newton and Dodds conceded only seven runs in the first six overs.

Dodds also claimed the first wicket of the second innings when Colts had only one run on the board, bowling Leisa Norrish without scoring.

No.3 Matilda Thomas looked in good touch before slashing to House at point off the bowling of Kayleigh Lynch (2-17 from six overs) and the hosts slipped further into the mire when Hall top-edged Madadi (2-20 from six overs) to Buck behind the stumps.

As the wickets continued to tumble, veteran Shani Waugh stood tall, top-scoring with 22 from 31 balls, but Colts could not keep pace with a required run rate approaching 10 per over.

Dodds returned at the back-end of the game and ended it by claiming another wicket, giving her brilliant figures of 2-3 from 4.5 overs.