WARWICK SMITH/Stuff
Courtney Infield and Freyberg will hope to beat United in the women’s club final on Saturday.
CRICKET: The revitalised Manawatū women’s club competition reaches its climax this weekend, as United and Freyberg face off in the twenty20 final.
The two teams play at Hokowhitu Park on Saturday in what promises to be a close encounter between two strong clubs.
The women’s season is divided in two and, in the pre-Christmas competition, Marist beat Freyberg to claim the title honours.
Freyberg will be determined not to lose two finals in a season, but come up against a United team with strength in batting and bowling.
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The two teams played each other last week in a dress rehearsal and Freyberg came out on top by six wickets.
But there are changes in the playing rosters this week for the nine-a-side match.
United were last week without star Tararua College schoolgirl batswoman Abby Treder, and top bowlers Brooke Te Wake and Phoebe Monk.
All three are playing this week, although United are without captain Kendyl Paget. Leesa Baker skippers the side in her absence. Rowena Campbell is also missing with a shoulder injury.
Baker said the team were feeling confident after a good season.
This season’s six-team competition is the first time a full-fledged women’s league has been played in Manawatū since the 1990s. Last season four teams took part in a competition, but they weren’t affiliated to clubs.
“It’s been awesome,” Baker said. “We’ve had a couple of people back to cricket that haven’t been playing for a long time, and with the mix of younger and older players it’s been really good.”
Freyberg co-captain Sarah Calkin said the team were down four players, former NZ bowler Sian Ruck and wicket-keeper Sam Battman, as well as mother-daughter combination Gabrielle and Fiona Read.
But among their lineup is Courtney Infield, who scored a ton against Marist earlier this month.
Calkin said last week’s win was a confidence booster, but the team had a few changes.
“It definitely does put more pressure on the senior rep players of the team to fill their shoes and take on two roles.
“We’re definitely still confident. We’ve got the fire in the belly.”
Calkin echoed Baker’s comments about the success of the women’s competition, saying it had driven more females to the sport.
Manawatū Cricket Association general manager James Lovegrove said it was possible the competition would grow by two teams next year.
“It’s a really exciting competition because it mixes young up-and-coming players with really experienced and skilful players.
“It’s fantastic for the young players to see that those older players still have a lot of class about them.”
Marist and Palmerston North Girls’ High School play off for third and Feilding and Dannevirke battle for fifth. The final starts at 3pm.