THE south-west is fast becoming the breeding ground for top female cricketers.
First the fairer sex topped their male counterparts, achieving better ENTER scores this week when VCE results were released. Now their taking their dominance to the cricket pitch.
Hamilton College's year 9/10 girls' team outclassed Gippland's St Thomas Aquinas in Cricket Victoria's State Super 8 grand final at the MCG. Hamilton won the toss and chose to bat first.
An opening partnership between Jess Crow and Ellen Richardson got the local team off to a good start. The pair made 48 off two overs. Coach Leigh Alexander said the success with the bat was evenly spread, with the side making 171 runs, before 40 bonus runs were added, bring the score to 211.
The Gippsland side was no match for Hamilton, making just 76.
"It was a pretty convincing win," Alexander said.
"The sun was out and it was beautiful conditions on the ground. The girls were really excited about playing at the MCG and they were thrilled they performed well."
Winning team members were Jess Crow, Sarah Langley, Laura Brody, Annie MacLean, Alice Langley, Maddison Uebergang, Anastasia Hamill, Nina Wootton, Ellen Richardson and Tom Sharp (co-coach).
And girls' cricket doesn't stop there. A female competition in the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association looks set to become a permanent fixture after a trial this year.
Four school-based teams - Emmanuel College, Mortlake, Brauer College and Cobden/Terang - played in a four round series this month. Brauer College was the victor with three wins, followed by Emmanuel (two wins), Cobden/Terang (one win) and Mortlake (0).
WDCA junior committee chairman Gordon McLeod said the competition was a success and would continue next year.
"It won't be as long as the regular home-and-away season. Probably about five matches just before Christmas," he said.
"We surveyed players and there was overwhelming support for it to continue. Now we have got the support it will be great to build on it and include some more teams."
While the girls have dominated headlines, the fellas haven't been slacking off.
Mortlake's Slade Palmer clinched his first hat-trick last weekend. The 16-year-old colts player took 4/25 against Caramut.
The youngster couldn't hide his excitement.
"I just put my hands in the air and ran to the captain. It was great," the medium/fast bowler said.
Slade is looking foward to stepping up to division one. He said Cats coach Neil Kelly had approached him about lining up in the top 12 in the new year.
"He (Kelly) has ask me a couple of times. Haven't played a game yet for them (division one), it should be good."