AFTER having to look on as the Warrnambool women claimed victory during the past two summers, the Hamilton and District Women’s Cricket Association Hurricanes finally got the better of their opponents for the first time after thrashing their visitors by seven wickets at Clem Young Oval on Sunday.

This annual fixture has become a grudge match between the neighbouring associations that is keenly contested each summer, and after winning the toss, Warrnambool skipper, Carly Mittermair, quickly decided to bat first on a wicket that saw 240 runs scored on it only 24 hours earlier.

The Hurricanes bowlers were determined to put pressure on the Warrnambool batting order from the first ball of the game, as captain, Claire Widdicombe, took the new ball.

She went for five runs from the first over, but Eloise Millard grabbed the first wicket when Ashley Brilley caught Lori Young from the first ball that Millard bowled.

Mikaela Doran came in at number three and she and Grace Butters took the score to 23 in the fourth over when Millard struck again to have Doran (14) on her way, as Leah Drendel held onto the chance offered.

From there though the Warrnambool batswomen wore a path to and from the middle, as the Hurricanes grabbed 7-34 to leave the scoreboard showing 8-57 with the wickets shared around.

The Warrnambool tail wagged to lift the final score to 85, with Millard (2-15), Drendel (2-3) and Paige Murrell (2-8) grabbing a brace of wickets each.

With the target set, Hurricanes sent Widdicombe and Murrell to the middle to get the chase underway and the pair added 20 for the first wicket before Murrell (11) was bowled by Gabby Lenehan.

Drendel came to the wicket and smashed a quickfire 18 before being caught by Johnson from the bowling of Shae De Francesco, while Widdicombe played a strong captain’s knock with 44 against her name when she was dismissed with only one run required, as the target was reeled in from only 11.5 overs.