Consistent Parsons aims to shoulder the load for Fire

Can a competition's leading wicket-taker be underrated?

As absurd as that sounds, that could be case with Queensland's Grace Parsons, who leads the field with 20 wickets in this summer's Women's National Cricket League (WNCL).

Parsons, 20, has so far missed the limelight of the Women's Big Bash League after sitting out the most recent edition with a shoulder injury.

And attention in the Fire squad generally falls on the higher-profile players, of which there are no shortage, while Parsons' performances are more consistent than game-breaking.

But that isn't to say they haven't been impressive and eye-catching.

Parsons has taken a wicket in 11 straight matches, only missing out in the season's opening fixture against New South Wales.

Her best figures are 3-36, which she has captured twice, once against Victoria and once against South Australia.

And the young leg-spinner is already on the radar of the national selectors, being selected in next month's three-day domestic red-ball match.

But before that comes this weekend's WNCL final against Tasmania, the biggest game of Parsons' fledgling career to date.

And Parsons admits the disappointment at missing WBBL|09 with the Brisbane Heat has been vindicated ahead of the Saturday's decider.

"We pulled the pin on Big Bash, because it was a period that I could use to rehab … so I could be here playing the final," Parsons told cricket.com.au.

"I dove backwards to take a catch at the end of last season and then landed on it and subluxed it."

The injury, to Parsons' right shoulder of her bowling arm, threatened to derail her season and make her successful 2022-23 campaign, where she was named the Fire's player of the year with 15 wickets, a distant memory.

But working closely with Cameron Boyce, who has been part of Queensland's coaching team, and learning off New Zealand superstar Amelia Kerr during the Big Bash has seen Parsons not only maintain her performances, but improve them.

"Early on I was very restricted with bowling and my shoulder and what I could do … it probably didn't go to plan as much as what I would have hoped," Parsons said.

"But I think towards the back end of the season I've gotten into a flow.

"I've worked on a few different change-ups and just a few different things just to try and keep consistent and really know where I'm trying to bowl the ball.

"That's been the biggest thing is just getting back into like a rhythm. Because sometimes it's not a very easy thing to do.

"We've had Boycey on board this year, he's been awesome.

"Helping guide me with (setting) fields and what I should do in certain situations.

"Even being around the Heat and Melie Kerr teaching me her ways. It's been awesome."

In order to speed up the shoulder's recovery, Parsons opted against throwing with her natural right arm and instead, taught herself how to throw with her left arm.

She will continue to use only her left when the ball comes to her against Tassie on Saturday.

"My dad was a baseball coach," Parsons said. "Growing up, he taught me the proper technique with my right arm. So I just flipped it over.

"I haven't gone back to throwing right-handed just yet.

"We kind of just decided (because it's) towards the end of the season, I may as well just keep things going how they're going. I'll get the right hand throwing back next season."

Parsons shapes as a key player in Saturday's final especially given her side will be missing guns Jess Jonassen, Grace Harris and Laura Harris, all of whom have joined the Women's Premier League in India.

But Parsons is certain those loses can be replaced by those in the Fire squad.

"Obviously they're huge losses," Parsons said.

"They are three senior players within our group who can change games, but I think the amazing thing that we have that Queensland is the depth of our talent.

"The players who have been 12th and 13th in our squad this season all deserve to playing WNCL.

"Anyone who steps into their shoes, whilst they are massive shoes, I think they'll be able to get the job done."