One of the competition's premier batters will look to cap off the perfect first season at her new club with victory in Sunday's Warrnambool and District cricket women's grand final.
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Grace Butters, who crossed to Brierly Northern Raiders from North Warrnambool Eels before the 2023-24 campaign began, hasn't missed a beat in her new colours.
The opening batter has amassed 250 runs at an average of 50 and has been instrumental in her side's season-long undefeated run on the way to its first grand final.
Butters said the whole team was feeling "excited" ahead of its clash with powerhouse Allansford-Panmure which has played in both previous women's grand finals.
She knows however that the side's unbeaten record will mean little once Saturday arrives.
"We have had a good season, I don't think that matters too much in the finals, especially with cricket, anything can happen," she told The Standard.
"It's just another game and we're excited to give it a go."
Butters has benefited from a number of her teammates also having prolific seasons with the bat.
Alongside the former Eel, skipper Carly Mittermair (206), Hannah Rooke (198), Jessica Quinlivan (163), Kacey Carman (151) have all exceeded the 150-run barrier.
"We've got a lot of contributors so it's really taken the pressure off and it's made it a very enjoyable season," she said.
Butters has relished being a part of the "really great environment" at Brierly Northern Raiders - a merged side between Brierly-Christ Church and Northern Raiders in its first season.
She said it was a very "supportive and encouraging" place to be and praised Mittermair and coach Matt Macleod for their influence.
She explained her connections to Purnim - which is associated with the Northern Raiders side of the team - influenced her decision to leave the Eels.
"My family has a lot of connections to the Purnim side of things at the Raiders," she said.
"So they talked me into giving it a go basically, they're trying to get their women's side going and it's been a great change, I've really enjoyed it."
In a show of commitment to her side, Butters won't be partying too hard on Saturday when she attends the wedding of her Geelong-based brother Nick, a former star of the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association.
She admitted a win would be a nice way to send off partners Mittermair and Macleod, who have recently moved to Geelong.
"It'll be her (Mittermair's) last game I assume," she said.
"Her and Matt have been travelling back and forth since January, they've put a heap of effort into this team and it would be great to get a win for them as well."
Matt Hughes
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
