Vics ends NSW domination with women's cricket win

MELBOURNE, Jan 18 AAP - Victoria ended New South Wales' six-year stranglehold on the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL) today with a 40-run win in the second final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Having battled to be dismissed for 181 on the last ball of their 50 overs, Victoria Spirit attack routed the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) Blues for 141 to claim its first WNCL title 2-0.

Today's win followed an unlikely three-wicket win in the first final yesterday, when tailender Megan Foster lofted NSWIS spinner Lisa Sthalekar to the mid-wicket boundary from the final ball to put her side ahead.

The twin losses were NSWIS's first in finals in six years of WNCL limited-overs competition.

Former NSWIS player and now Victorian captain Belinda Clark was the difference between victory and defeat, scoring 63 today to complement her 84 on Friday and earn her the player of the finals award.

Victoria slowly accelerated through its innings to reach 3-136 in the 40th over until Clark was run out by a pinpoint throw from Alexandra Blackwell.

Their leader's departure exposed the Spirit's fragile middle-order, which again crumbled in the final overs as the home side lost 7-45.

It followed a similar collapse of 6-28 in the first final.

In reply, NSWIS got off to a slow start and never recovered.

Opener Lisa Keightley, who made 94 not out on Friday, took until the ninth over to get off the mark.

By the time she was run out by Natalie Wood for four in the 10th over, NSWIS was in trouble at 2-21.

Only Lisa Sthalekar - the last player dismissed for 45 - and keeper Leonie Coleman with 23 offered resistance as the Victorians bowled economically and backed themselves with athletic fielding, producing three run outs.

Foster and Jodie Dean each snared two wickets with their spin, while quick Cathryn Fitzpatrick took a miserly 1-17 to give her finals' figures of 4-48 from 19 overs.

Clark said the Spirit had given themselves the confidence they needed to defend a low total with a three-run win over NSWIS in December.

But she said the Victorian win, and the improvement of the Southern Scorpions, was only one step toward evening up the WNCL.

"(New South Wales) has got good structure set up in their state, they get good support from Cricket New South Wales and they've got it worked out what they're going to do," she said.

"I think the other states still have some work to do to catch up in terms of their structure."

NSWIS captain Julie Hayes, who did her part taking 3-23, paid tribute to Victoria as the best side all season.

She said the Blues had five young players in its side and would be stronger in 2003-04.

The growing evenness of the WNCL competition was underlined in the presentation when Karen Rolton of third-placed Southern Scorpions was named player of the series.