A PLAYER of the match performance from stand-in-skipper Lisa Griffith and a partnership with Phoebe Litchfield helped New South Wales to a thrilling final-ball victory at North Sydney Oval on Tuesday.
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Griffith, acting captain for the Breakers, made a crucial 65 runs and snared a wicket to help her side to a final-ball, one-wicket win over Tasmania in the Women's National Cricket League match.
Tasmania was dismissed for just 200 while batting first, but NSW collapsed to 4-35 in reply to bring Litchfield and Griffith to the crease.
The duo put on 82 for the fifth wicket, with Litchfield putting 44 runs off 60 deliveries before being caught off Brooke Hepburn.
Griffith soldiered on was was dismissed with only 12 runs needed to get, and Belinda Vakarewa (3-29) had Sarah Aley caught down the leg side for 26 with just three delivieries remaining, bringing number 11 Stella Campbell to the crease.
The teenage debutant couldn't get bat on ball for the first two deliveries but whacker Vakarewa's final ball to the fence for four.
It's a victory that also has Griffith and her team-mates in prime position to extend one of the greatest domestic sporting records in Australia.
The former Bathurst all-rounder and her fellow Breakers are almost certainties to host the final where they will vie for their 21st title in 24 years.
It would be yet another milestone moment Griffith could add to her already impressive list of cricket achievements since she returned from a seven-year absence.
Since overcoming depressions issues which kept her away from the game - issues she has since bravely and candidly discussed - Griffith has captained the first NSW Country women's team and played in a Women's Big Bash League semi-final.
Currently in her second season back in the Breakers' fold, Tuesday's game was Griffith's third as captain.
It was a youthful line-up missing stars Alyssa Healy, Rachael Haynes, Ashleigh Gardner and Erin Burns, who are on national duty.
The Breakers are now five points clear of second-placed Western Australia who they will meet on Thursday.
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