THE North East Knights girls under-18 team are Victorian state champions after holding off Western Spirit by two runs in Monday’s Twenty20 state final at the MCG.
The Knights, who went through the Victorian championships undefeated, won the toss and batted first making 8-97.
Knight’s opener and vice-captain Georgie North got her team off to a great start making a game high 25 off 34 balls, while Kayla Shepherd and Chelsea Nicholas made 11 and 16 respectively.
Knights assistant coach Anna Webb said speaking with coach Liam Scammell before the match they both agreed anything more than 95 would be a winning score.
The pair’s judgment proved to be spot on as Western Spirit fell short in its run chase with 6-95.
Webb said it was one of the best matches she’d been a part of.
“We’re absolutely elated,” she said.
“To be at the MCG and to hear the crowd cheering was just the most amazing experience.”
Spirit started its run chase in a positive manner but wickets at regular intervals to the Knights ensured the metropolitan team fell behind with its required run rate.
In the last over of the match Spirit needed six runs to win with five wickets in hand but couldn’t create the run-scoring opportunities with Knights’ all-rounder Shepherd bowling the last over.
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