Memorable innings lifts team to maiden women's cricket premiership

Grace Butters walked off Reid Oval to a rousing reception after retiring on 61 with her teammates then combining to surpass Allansford-Panmure's total in the final-over of an entertaining Warrnambool and District Cricket Association grand final on Sunday, February 25.

Butters' dazzling innings featured eight boundries and set the foundation for her teammates to capitalise.

Vice captain Kacey Carman - a long-time Brierly player who finished unbeaten on 28 - hit the winning runs with five balls to spare.

The victory also gave outgoing coach Matt Macleod and captain Carly Mittermair the perfect farewell gift, with the partners relocating to Geelong to further Mittermair's medical career.

"It means a lot, four years coming since the start of this competition and we probably started at the bottom and now we're at the top," Mittermair said.

"To get there that's an awesome feeling with all these people in the team who are all my best friends who I love to be around."

Butters - one of the competition's most prolific batters - brought up her half-century with a single after drinks.

She walked off unbeaten on 61 - as per rules - with Brierly Northern Raiders in a comfortable position of 2-100.

"It's great to actually contribute. It's such a great team, we have so many contributors and it just really caps off a really good season for us," Butters, who joined the club in the pre-season, said.

Mittermair, who opened with Butters and made 17 off 33 herself, was "really proud" of her teammate.

"I batted with her from the other end and she was absolutely smoking them and I just thought 'if I get her on strike, she'll be good here'," she said.

"That worked pretty well. She kept apologising and I said 'you're hitting them for four, what's the apology for?'"

Macleod said Butters' performance was "good to watch from a coaching point of view".

"You want that type of innings in a final, it just relaxes everyone's nerves," he said.

Allansford-Panmure batted first and made a patient, steady start to its innings to be 0-34 after 12 overs.

Hannah Rooke had the breakthrough, bowling Georgia-Lee Trudgen for 12 to have the Gators 1-34.

The Gators were 1-42 at drinks before Mittermair and Rooke started to take control for the Raiders.

Mittermair bowled opener Sarah Richards for 20 before the dangerous Shannon Johnson was sent packing for 26 when Fleur Mahoney caught a Rooke delivery.

Rooke pounced with her next delivery, bowling Victoria McPhee for a golden duck to have the Gators 4-100.

Sascha White, who played a nice cameo with 18 off 22 deliveries, was then bowled by Mittermair as part of a purple patch for Brierly Northern Raiders.

Claire Logan came in and made a quickfire 24 for Allansford-Panmure as it posted 5-142 off its 30 overs.

Logan was bowled on a no-ball late in the innings.

Brierly Northern Raiders made a fast start in its run chase before the Gators piled on the pressure.

Mittermair said it was pleasing to see Macleod's efforts rewarded with a premiership medallion.

"For me, as his partner, I am really, really proud of him and all the effort he's put in for us this year," she said.

"He's improved everyone out of sight with his coaching and it's been so much fun having him around."

Butters said Macleod and Mittermair had been strong leaders.

"I've been really impressed with these two - they put so much work into the team, they're always encouraging and very passionate," she said.