Women’s cricket tournament a hit

The Sh**e Ferns (back, from left) Grace Carruthers, Abbey Lang, Grace Heather, Claudia Carruthers, (front) Izzie McKenzie and Nicole Ruske won last week’s women’s summer cricket final with 75 runs. PHOTOS: EVIE SINCLAIR

Wanaka women’s summer cricket games have come to an end following a close final last week.

Coming away with second place, Georgie Hudson, of the Colliers Golden Wickets, said she hoped more women would take up the sport.

‘‘Women think they have to have played before.

‘‘A lot of girls in the tournament had never played cricket before.

‘‘A lot of sporty girls come along and pick it up quite quickly and are really good players,’’ she said.

The Colliers Golden Wickets team of (back, from left) Georgie Hudson, Jackie Purvis, Debbie Forrest, Ruby Dunn (front), Andi Cotton and Brenna Heaney, along with Rosie Tulisi (absent) won second place.

Originally two separate teams who joined forces four years ago, the team made up of Tarras and Wanaka players has made the finals all four years, winning the title twice.

The tournament ran for eight weeks over summer with eight women’s teams and about 30 men’s teams.

Hudson said cricket had been a way for players to break away from their normal lives.

‘‘It’s great to be together and be social.

‘‘All the ladies I have met, that I otherwise would have never crossed paths with, I now consider friends.

The final last week saw the Sh**e Ferns batting first, gaining 75 runs.

‘‘For the finals that is quite a lot for us to chase, we came up short with 63 runs, but it was a really close game.’’

Debbie Forrest scored 30 runs for the Colliers Golden Wickets in the final.