A PLAYER of the match performance from star Bathurst cricketer Lisa Griffith helped New South Wales to a thrilling final-ball victory at North Sydney Oval on Tuesday.
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Griffith, acting captain for the Breakers, made a crucial 65 runs and snared a wicket to help her side to a one-wicket win over Tasmania in the Women's National Cricket League match.
It is a victory that also has Griffith and her team-mates in prime position to extend one of the greatest domestic sporting records in Australia.
The Bathurst all-rounder and her fellow Breakers are almost certainties to host the final where they will vie for their 21st title in 24 years.
It would be yet another milestone moment Griffith could add to her already impressive list of cricket achievements since she returned from a seven-year absence.
Since overcoming depressions issues which kept her away from the game - issues she has since bravely and candidly discussed - Griffith has captained the first NSW Country women's team and played in a Women's Big Bash League semi-final.
Currently in her second season back in the Breakers' fold, Tuesday's game was Griffith's third as captain.
It was a youthful line-up missing stars Alyssa Healy, Rachael Haynes, Ashleigh Gardner and Erin Burns, who are on national duty.
Tasmania batted first and were dismissed for 200 in the 47th over.
Griffith's wicket was that of opener Hollie Armitage. She was looking dangerous on 23 off 29 deliveries when the Bathurst seamer bowled her.
It was not the best performance in the field, the Breakers having conceded 20 wides and two no balls, and their chase got off to a terrible start.
The Breakers collapsed to 4/35 before Griffith (65 off 105) helped swing momentum
She and start Orange teenager Phoebe Litchfield (44) added 82 for the fifth wicket.
When Griffith finally fell in the 48th over, the Breakers were 8-188.
She then watched on as number 11 Stella Campbell swung the final ball of the match behind square leg to the boundary to snatch a one wicket victory. The Breakers finished at 9-204.
The Breakers are now five points clear of second-placed Western Australia who they will meet on Thursday.
