Dick flies in for final

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It’s been a whirlwind week for The Tradies ACT Meteors bowler Rhiannon Dick that could be capped off with her Canberra side lifting the Women’s T20 trophy today.

Dick’s record figures of 6-14 off 2.5 overs in the semi-final against the Lend Lease Breakers on Wednesday guaranteed the Meteors a flight to Perth to play in the state’s first ever women’s domestic final against the Konica Minolta Queensland Fire.

But while the rest of the team flew to Western Australia together yesterday in the daylight hours, Dick was forced to wait until last night because she had to complete university assessments, eventually arriving in Perth at 1am, Sydney time.

The 23-year-old is studying for a Masters in Physiotherapy at Sydney University and almost missed the semi-final because of her commitments.

She had to apply for special permission to play in the vital game and made the most of it, registering the best figures for a bowler in a women’s T20 domestic match, but was in danger of missing the Meteors’ chance to star on the big stage, with the final being broadcast on One HD.

“On Thursday I had to go into my work placement and complete an assessment as part of my Masters degree in Physio,” said Dick. “The team flew out at lunchtime yesterday from Sydney but due to the assessment I flew out at 7.30pm last night.”

The left-arm off-spinner snared three wickets in her first two overs in the semi-final and returned to bowl at the death, when she took a further three wickets, the final two via stumpings.

ACT captain Kris Britt won the toss at the WACA and elected to bat first, meaning Dick could be called on to replicate her death-bowling feat.

“It's good to know as a team we are under pressure and we can perform as a team under pressure against quality opposition,” Dick said. “Their team bats very deep and we have to keep pressure on throughout whole 20 overs.

“It's an amazing opportunity for the whole team to achieve one of our goals and something we have been working towards for the last two years.”

Whichever way the result goes today, a new champion will be crowned, with both sides making their debut in a Women’s T20 final.

It also represents a changing of the guard, as the first final to ever be contested without the presence of a team from NSW or Victoria.