The BDCA women's first XI competition has once again been painted yellow and blue by the girls from Golden Square.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
A professional grand final from the reigning premiers has given the Bulldogs their second Lisa Chesters Shield in as many years.
Against a confident and inform Bendigo, the Bulldogs were brilliant with bat, ball and especially in the field on the immaculate turf pitch and surface at Catherine McAuley College.
Bulldogs skipper Tammy Norquay said it had been a tough journey, but her side had found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
"There was a couple of stumbles for us along the way, including against Bendigo, and we knew we had to put in the hard yards, and this is why we did it," she said.
"Bendigo really pushed us, and we didn't think we would have it easy coming into the game, which shows how far women's cricket has come.
"When we look back on the season, this was probably the biggest season of growth we've had."
When the Bulldogs reflect on their achievement, their fielding on the big day will be looked upon with glee.
They tore through the Goers top-order with superb fielding, which yielded the three crucial runouts of Dannielle Flood (1), Ren Haeusler (2) and Kylie Trimble (0).
With the big guns gone, Zoe Ross (22) provided spirited resistance along with tail-ender Natalie Flood (14) before she had her castle disturbed by Abby Popple (1-4 of 2.2) to end the match.
Earlier, the Bulldogs were restricted to 5-134, leaving the game nicely poised.
Bulldogs guns Norquay (25) and player of the match Sarah Mannes (43) - who both made centuries in the semi-final - contributed along with first drop Sarah Perry top-scoring with a vital 45 not out.
The defeat ended the Goers' seven-game winning streak at the final hurdle, but captain Amy Ryan couldn't be more satisfied with a season that saw her side take a massive leap in their development.
At the mid-season mark, few would have tipped the Goers to make the grand final, let alone defeat traditional powers Square and Sandhurst throughout their winning streak, but the young Goers have shown they will be a force for years to come.
"The win would have been a bonus, but we are immensely proud of what we've achieved this season," Ryan said post-game.
"It goes to show we're building as a club, and all 12 of us can grab the bat and perform on any given day.
"There's eight of us under the age of 20, which shows we're moving in the right direction."
Similar to their opponents, the Bulldogs also have a young team, including the likes of opening bowler Sienna Barnett.
Norquay said the effort the young Bulldog pups give was incredibly important.
"Some of our young girls might not have gotten much of a crack, but they will as they continue to progress," Norquay said.
"They chase us around in the field and give us lip, so we love having them around, and they deserve this feeling and reward."
SECOND XI:
In the second XI grand final California Gully also crowned themselves as back-to-back premiers.
The Cobras did have to survive a scare from Maiden Gully Marist before lifting the crown.
Needing 111 for victory, the Lions fell only six runs short, with young star Samantha Hunter (22 not out) valiantly working the gaps in the game's dying embers.
At one stage, the Lions required an achievable 11 off nine balls, but a top-notch final over from Zoe Tucker (1-13 of 4.0) ensured victory for the Cobras.
Earlier, Cobras skipper Jasmine Burzacott produced the innings of the match, striking 34 of 24 deliveries, including five boundaries.
Openers Hannah Kenny (25) and Nicholson (19) also added vital top-order runs to help the Cobras to a match-winning total of 6-110 from their 20 overs.
