ALYSSA Humphries (Casterton) and Eliza Jagger (Balmoral) were part of the VIC Country girls side that fell short in the semi-finals against South Australia at the Australian Country Cricket Championships (ACCC) in Canberra on Thursday.

The side finished the week second on the ladder with a 4-2 record, having only lost to New South Wales and Papua New Guinea, before it was knocked out in the semi-final on Thursday.

Humphries started off the first game last weekend against Queensland with a bang, smashing a blistering 74 from just 56 deliveries, her knock included nine fours and four maximums.

She started the first over of the game in style as she crunched the first ball for a six, followed by a four and then a second maximum to finish the over on 17 from six balls.

Combining with fellow opener, Renee Moffitt, who smashed 61, the side made a big total of 161 from the 20 overs which secured the win.

In round two, the Big V matched up against South Australia, as the side chased 89 and easily cruised to victory with Humphries the only wicket to fall for the day adding an impressive 37 off 23 balls.

It was a tough day in round three for the Vic Country girls, taking on the ladder leaders in New South Wales, with a solid bowling performance restricting them to 137.

However, Vic Country’s batting order crumbled with Humphries removed for seven, as the rest of the team was bowled out for just 59, in a big statement from the championship favourites.

The girls bounced back in the round four clash against Western Australia, posting 89 with the bat thanks to some lower order hitting, before Chelsea Moscript ripped through the WA side for 40 – she took a five-wicket haul from her four overs, conceding just four runs.

Papua New Guinea was the round five obstacle and after posting 87, Jagger was great in the field and took a catch to dismiss the side’s top-scorer for 25.

Vic Country could only manage 60 in reply, as it was bowled out again falling short.

Humphries (eight) wasn’t able to get her innings going, while Jagger (one-not-out) came in at the end of the innings and got some red ink.

The side had the bye in round six before taking on the Australian Capital Territory on Wednesday, picking up a couple of early wickets and restricting the side to 130.

In reply, Vic Country opened up with the deadly duo of Humphries and Moffitt, with the latter sent back to the sheds on 13, however Humphries continued on and put on a partnership of 37 with Jessica Bohn before the Casterton talent was stumped for 21.

Bohn continued to bat well as she belted the ball around at over 100 strike rate to raise her bat for the half century, pushing on to see her side home to victory in the 19th over with 56-not-out alongside captain, Steph Townsend (23-not-out).

With second playing third in the second semi-final with the winner to meet New South Wales in the final, the Victorians met South Australia.

Vic Country won the toss and elected to bat first, but Humphries and Moffitt were unable to get settled in thanks to a good spell of bowling, both dismissed for six runs each.

Townsend (21) and Moscript (24) offered some resistance in the middle order, but the side fell to 9-99 from the 20 overs, a slim total to defend.

South Australia started on fire scoring more than 40 off the first four overs of the game, before losing two quick wickets with Humphries getting two run outs.

Despite the breakthroughs, South Australia comprehensively chased down the total in the 16th over just two wickets down, ripping away Victoria’s final chances.

South Australia’s Tegan McPharlin, who also represents Adelaide Strikers in the WBBL, posted 49-not-out and saw her side home against the Vic Country side.

At the time of print, Humphries was placed fourth in the championships for runs scored and was the only Victorian in the top 12, having scored 164 runs at an average of 23.43 in a great individual campaign.

Jagger was a strong presence in the field with her athletic and energy setting the standard for her side, she saved plenty of runs in the field and held on to chances when they came.