BDCA women’s first-grade: Donnybrook claim back-to-back premierships with 62-run grand final win over Colts

A dominant Donnybrook have bagged back-to-back Bunbury & Districts Cricket Association women’s first-grade premierships with a 62-run grand final win over Colts at Egan Park. The home side comfortably defended their score of 125, producing a phenomenal fielding and bowling effort to roll the visitors for 63 from 26.1 overs. After smashing a competition-record score of 147 in last year’s season decider, Donnybrook’s Steph Jolly again stepped up on the big stage, bagging 6-15 from six overs after top-scoring with 38 from 27 balls. Jolly’s first ball induced a top edge from Cathy Allen that wicketkeeper Amber Boyd was only able to get a fingertip on, but Lisa Smith slid in from slip to complete an amazing diving catch, and Jolly also knocked over Leisha Norrish in her opening over for good measure. The player of the match’s second over also started in the same fashion, with Colts leading run-scorer Emma Bresser chipping to square leg to leave them at 3-7 and in need of a miracle. Donnybrook continued to back up their star in the field as Jessica Basilio wheeled back to pluck a one hander to dismiss Lily Finlay, and when Boyd dived forward to pouch an edge from Colts skipper Shani Waugh, the game was all but decided at 5-23. Addison Hall (23 from 46 balls) played some nice strokes but her efforts were not enough to haul her side back into the contest, before Shannen Jenkin bowled Matilda Thomas with her first ball to end the game and spark the celebrations. In the first innings, Colts made a tight start with the ball, with Addison Hall and Brittany Wilson grabbing the wickets of Amber Boyd and Lisa Smith to leave the hosts at 2-36 after 10 overs. A 46-run third-wicket stand between Jolly and Summer Towers gave the innings a backbone, but Bresser (2-23 from six overs) induced a chop-on from the former and Allen (2-18 from three overs) had the latter stumped to ensure the visitors stayed in touch. The impressive Lily Finlay (2-12 from five overs) hit the woodwork twice in the later overs to keep a lid on Donnybrook’s innings, which ended with four balls to spare. The women’s B-grade grand final saw Eaton take out the flag over Dalyellup by seven wickets in a see-sawing affair at Eaton Sports Ground. Bowling first, an exceptional fielding effort from the Bobtails limited the visitors to a total of 5-120, with Sienna Petersen (3-13 from six overs) the pick of the bowlers. The chase looked to be stalling until Cara Borthwick hauled Eaton over the line with a composed 32 not out from 29 deliveries.