MACARTHUR Red won its second Hamilton and District Women’s Cricket Association premiership, accounting for Macarthur Blue in the A grade final at Melville Oval on Sunday.

With Friday night’s semi-finals washed out, it set up an intra-club battle to conclude the season, between the top two teams.

Blue had an early win, calling the toss correctly and electing to bowl first, and it was tough going early on, as Red skipper, Jacqui Robinson, and Leah Drendel picked off boundaries regularly and accelerated the scoring rate.

Both batters retired on 35, setting a strong foundation for the team’s middle order to build on.

The scoring did slow with the openers no longer at the crease, with Nicole Hunt (five) and Melissa Blackberry (one) falling cheaply, while Ruby Ross (21-not-out) and Emily Pitts (13-not-out) helped push the team’s total up to 2-122 after 16 overs.

Sophie Taylor and Kate Addinsall were the wicket-takers for Macarthur Blue.

Macarthur Blue’s run chase got off to a slower start in the run chase, as Ruby Lang and Laura Addinsall found scoring harder in the early overs.

Addinsall was first to fall when Alexis Hunt rattled her stumps to dismiss the opener for 21, while Sarah Cassidy’s stay at the crease was brief, adding just three runs to the total.

Nat McGregor offered some resistance in the middle order with 14 runs, with Lang eventually falling victim to Ashley Brilley for 23.

Tight bowling from Macarthur Red continued to make scoring tough, as Blue only managed six boundaries for the innings, managing 5-80 from its 16 overs, to fall well short of the winning target.

Ross topped the wickets with two, as her team capped off the season with the premiership and bragging rights at Macarthur Cricket Club.

Robinson was named the player of the match for her 35-retired and 1-13 from three overs.

Byaduk d. St Andrew’s

BYADUK and St Andrew’s faced off in the B grade decider earlier in the day with both teams progressing through to the final after finishing higher than their semi-final opponents following washouts on Friday night as well.

The Ducks won the toss and sent the Drews in to bat first at Melville Oval with Zoe Van kalken-Flack and Leesa Logan opening the innings.

Logan added seven at a run-a-ball pace before Julie Parsons prompted the false stroke to grab the first breakthrough.

Van kalken-Flack pushed on to reach 22 before Katelyn Millard rattled her steps to leave the Drews 2-51.

Bec Van kalken held up an end at number three, smashing her way to 35-retired from 20 balls.

The lack of support was telling with Alicia Eats (13) the only other batter to reach double figures.

St Andrew’s was bowled out for 87 inside 14 overs, with the wickets shared evenly across the Byaduk bowling attack.

A strong start from Emily Huglin and Parsons helped Byaduk grab the momentum early in the second innings, as the Drews were unable to grab any early wickets.

Huglin was first to fall for 28 after some sharp work from Logan in the field had the Ducks opener run out, but the score was already at 63.

Parsons retired on 37, while Ros Thatcher (nine-not-out) and Millard (two-not-out) saw Byaduk reach 1-90 with one ball to spare in the innings.

Van kalken was named player of the match for her 35-retired and 0-9 from 2.5 overs.

Photos from grand final day will be in Saturday’s Spec.