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KIMMINCE SETS UP CLOSE WIN

Sunday 23 December 2012

A dynamite 66 of 57 balls by the ever-improving Delissa Kimmince powered the Konica Minolta Queensland Fire to a thrilling four-run win over the ACT in their WNCL T20 clash at Manuka Oval today.

The Fire took the momentum from their come-from-behind win in yesterday’s one-dayer to set a challenging target of 5-137 and the Meteors replied with 8-133.

The result put a major dent in the ACT’s hopes of finishing second and qualifying for the televised grand final of the T20 competition.

If the Fire win both their T20 games against the improving Tasmania Roar in Hobart early in the New Year, they will finish just behind the second placegetters.

They will be left to lament the decision by Cricket Australia to instigate a top four for the one-day competition, where the Fire should finish second, but not for the higher profile T20 competition, where they could finish a close fourth if results go their way.

After being rolled for 78 in Friday’s opening T20 which coach Andy Richards later described as a ‘batting debacle’, the Fire were a different team today.

The innings was built largely around Kimmince, who was elevated into the order to No.3 and went in at 1-1 when the in-form Beth Mooney was adjudged lbw for a golden duck.

She departed on the last ball of the penultimate over following solid partnerships of 48 for the third wicket with Jodie Fields (13 off 17 balls), and 50 for the fourth-wicket with another big improver Kirby Short (28 off 25 balls).

Kimmince hit seven fours and two big sixes during her imposing stay.

The ACT run chase started briskly, with the dangerous Asha Smith belting 19 off 12 balls before cracking Jude Coleman straight to gully in the third over.

They were still going at eight runs an over after six and at 3-77 at the halfway mark, needed just 61 off the last 10 overs.

The 14th and 15th overs proved crucial, with Jess Jonassen conceding just two runs and Holly Ferling allowing just four the next over.

The Meteors needed 20 off the last two overs, with Jemma Barsby conceding seven in the penultimate over.

With 13 required from the last, Kate Owen could not find the boundary, hitting twos to get the equation to six off the final ball by Jude Coleman, which she drove to long on and was run out going for a second run.

Jonassen was the most economical of the bowlers who sent down four overs with 0-23, while Kimmince was again good with 0-10 from two and Ferling bowled just the one over for four.