Tara Murray
Craigieburn fired when it was needed to seal the Cricket Victoria Women’s Community Cricket Competition shield 3 one day premiership.
The Eagles upset minor premiers Coburg (2) on Saturday to win their third women’s premiership.
Playing coach Kirsty Klempel was just thrilled that they had managed to get another premiership.
“It has been a great season,” she said. “This has been my most favourite season.
“Everyone has done something and it wasn’t left up to one or two people like it has been sometimes in the past.
“It’s been like that all season and everyone has had a ball. One of the juniors, Ojal [Kurl] earlier in the year, not only hit the middle stump but snapped it in half, it was so exciting.”
The Eagles were set for a big task in the grand final. The Eagles won the first game between the two teams, with the second game ending in a tie.
The Eagles were sent in and made 4-169 from their 36 overs.
Klempel said they were thrilled with that score.
“Tarz [Litara Va’auli] and her daughter Stefania [Pauga] did what we required. They are always there performing.
“Tarz is just the anchor and Stefania, I can’t get over how effortlessly she manages to do things.”
Va’auli finished with 55 while Pauga made 37.
The Eagles used 10 different bowlers in their bowling attack. They managed to bowl Coburg (2) out for 107, with just two batters reaching double figures.
Klempel was the star with the ball, finishing with 6-17 off 7.2 overs.
“I was determined to win,” she said. “When I get in a zone, I’m so focused, I don’t know how I do it.
“I wanted the to win to reap the rewards for the whole effort.”
Klempel was named player of the match but said it could have quite easily gone to Va’auli or Pauga.
It’s the third women’s premiership for the Eagles. Kempel said the first one was 10 years ago and they think the other was about six years ago.
Kempel said there were four or five players playing in their first one.
“That was our main focus, we worked so hard to make sure everyone has a premiership,” she said.
“We had four juniors in the team. Ashnoor [Saluja] and Stefania have been our young captains in training this season.
“They are such wonderful role models for the younger players and we actually look up them.”
Klempel said the development of the playing group had been the thing that she had loved the most.
She said she was keen to keep playing on having reached game 200 this season and hoped all her teammates would be back too.
