WHEN grand finals arrive, it’s hoped that the best two teams in a competition produce the best game of the season, and the players from Tarrington and Macarthur certainly did so in the Hamilton and District Women’s Cricket Association Junior Girls decider at Macarthur Recreation Reserve on Tuesday.

These teams were by far the best performed all season and Macarthur went into the match as favourite, having won the minor premiership.

The Demons won the toss and elected to send the Tigers to the crease and the decision paid dividends quickly, as Alexis Hunt and Lauren Sharrock took the new ball and had Tarrington openers, Georgie Harris and Ella Bester, in a defensive mindset with some great line and length bowling.

The first three overs saw only 10 runs scored, but Hunt delivered a double blow to the Tigers in the fourth over after she had Bester clean bowled for only three with the first ball, before backing it up with the last ball of the over when Harris was caught by Kelsie Hunt for seven.

The double blow meant the Tigers had to regroup with their skipper, Emilie Tonissen, and Eloise Millard at the wicket.

The pair took the tally to 38 and appeared to be gaining momentum when Sophie Taylor dismissed Millard LBW for only eight.

Tonissen stood tall for her team, maintaining her composure despite the Macarthur attack seeking her wicket with every delivery.

With the retirement of Marli Blohm (eight) with five overs remaining and 65 runs on the board, Alicia Eats (27-not-out) and Tonissen (37-not out) took the final tally to 4-106 by adding 41 from the last 30 deliveries of the innings.

Millard made an important breakthgouh with the wicket of Kelsie Hunt (zero) in the first over to hand the Tigers the early momentum.

The telling blow though came from some great fielding, as Harris and Tonissen combined to catch Ashley Brilley (10) short of her ground.

With six overs remaining and the Demons sitting on 2-54, Sophie Walker retired with eight runs to her name. which opened the rest of the batting order to try and reel in the target.

 Sophie Taylor (17), Alexis Hunt (16-not-out) and Lauren Sharrock (18-not-out) did their utmost to drag the Demons to the target, but the Tigers ensured they were always just shy in the required run rate and the game finished with Macarthur stranded on 4-90 in reply.

Tonissen was named the Player of the Match, as the celebrations began in earnest for the yellow and black.