Captain Elyse Villani's hundred guided Tasmania to a win in the final round game of the WNCL, but only pride was at stake
Match Report:
ScorecardDefending champs Tasmania bow out with head held high
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The Tasmanian Tigers have defeated Victoria by 30 runs, but they will only take consolation points and end their Women's National Cricket League season on a high.
The three-time defending champions were still in contention to make the final when the game began this afternoon at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
However, the New South Wales Breakers ended their hopes of a four-peat by winning their rain-curtailed match against the ACT Meteors and moving beyond the reach of Tasmania on the points table.
The Breakers, with 33 points, eventually took the spot in the final after South Australia faced a heartbreaking six-run loss to Western Australia in Perth. They will take on Queensland at Allan Border Field on March 2.
The Ruth Preddy Cup will leave Hobart after three years, but the Tigers put on a great fightback in the tournament, winning five of their last six games after securing just two in the first half.
Victoria, on the other hand, could not build on a successful start to the season as they were made to miss the experience of their senior players.
Set a target of 260 on Friday, Victoria's top order faltered, as the four-pronged Tasmanian spin attack supported young quick Callie Wilson.
Tess Flintoff kept Victoria afloat in the chase after their captain Nicole Faltum (8 off 8) and season's leading run-scorer Ella Hayward (16 off 22) both failed to fire.
After Molly Strano (3-37), Lauren Smith (1-35), Amy Smith (1-40), and Wilson (1-37) had all taken a scalp each – leaving Victoria on 4-75 in 15 overs – Flintoff struck partnerships of 59 and 45 with Georgia Prestwidge (24 off 29) and Hasrat Gill (23 off 35) respectively.
However, when the allrounder was bowled by Strano on 80 in the 41st over, with 63 still needed, the visitors' effort fell apart.
Nicola Carey (2-34) joined in the party to clean up the tail as Victoria were bowled out for 229 in 48.1 overs.
Earlier, Tasmania got off to a cautious start after being sent in to bat and lost the in-form Rachel Trenaman – who had registered scores of 63, 80no, and 124 since her return to cricket after being sidelined by injuries for over two years – on 12 right after the Powerplay.
Skipper Elyse Villani's powerful knock of 110 off 104 was crucial for the home side, with only three batters crossing the 20-run mark.
Tasmania were struggling on 5-128 after 34.3 overs before Villani found a willing partner in Amy Smith (39 off 29) and stitched an 85-run stand.
The veteran hit two big shots over the rope before being bowled by Sophie Day (3-66) on the penultimate ball of the innings.