BITTERSWEET – that is how New South Wales Country skipper Lisa Griffith described her feelings at the conclusion of the Australian Country Cricket Championships in Wollongong on Wednesday.
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Over the course of the six-day tournament, which saw teams from across Australia plus an East Asia Pacific outfit do battle in Twenty20 format games, Griffith’s Bush Breakers only lost twice.
Unfortunately for the Bathurst all-rounder, one of those defeats came in Tuesday night’s semi-final against Victoria Country.
In the end there was one run it it.
Griffith, who went on to be named in the Australian Country team on Wednesday evening, hit seven boundaries to make 55 off 49 deliveries as she spearheaded the Bush Breakers’ chase.
She fell in the final over – one which saw the Bush Breakers needing 16 runs for victory after Victoria had made 5-135. Griffith’s team ended up on 7-134.
“It was really nice to get some runs, but it was a bit bitter-sweet, I wanted to be there at the end to get my side over the line,” Griffith said.
“A loss is a loss, but those ones that come down to the last ball do hurt a bit more.”
The semi-final defeat saw the Bush Breakers playing off for third place on Wednesday against South Australia Country.
Though South Australia had beaten the NSW side - which also included Bathurst’s Bec Cady – earlier in the tournament, this time the Bush Breakers prevailed by five wickets.
Griffith made an unbeaten 33 to see her side home with three balls to spare.
“Obviously it is a little bit bittersweet [to miss the final], but it was really good to come out and get a win today,” Griffith said after that win.
“It was such a close tournament, I think four games came down to the last ball. That’s incredible and I’m really proud with the standard of all the teams this week.
“It is not just one side or area that has dominated this year, we’ve all beaten each other, it just shows the standard of the game is growing.”
Griffith finished the tournament ranked third on the run scorers’ list, having made 215 runs at an an average of 71.69 thanks to four unbeaten knocks.
She also took four wickets for the tournament, her best figures 2-15 off three overs against Western Australia Country.
“I’ve really enjoyed my cricket this week and I am really humbled to have captained this side,” she said.
“This week our fielding really let us down, but that is something we can take into consideration and work on for next year.”
Cady, who was the Bush Breakers’ wicketkeeper, made 177 runs for the tournament to rank sixth in the batting statistics. She had a 95.2 strike rate, with 19 boundaries and two sixes.
