Lara Graham produced one of the best batting performances ever seen at the State CHS Girls Cricket Championships at Bathurst this week, and was duly rewarded.
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Playing at her final state carnival, Graham won the Blackwell Trophy for the best individual performance. Determined on a points system, North West manager Ryan Whitton said she was about 100 points clear of the next best player after amassing an incredible 322 runs.
She was unbeaten in her first four knocks, notching scores of 78no, 78no, 75no and 61no, and not surprisingly adjudged the most valuable player for the North West team.
Also chiming in with five wickets, Graham was also selected in the CHS 1s to play at next month's NSW All Schools Championships.
Oxley High school-mates Deni Baker and Claire McGuirk were also recognised for their efforts with selection in the CHS 2s. Baker was the leading wicket-taker for North West with 11.
On Thursday, playing in their first-ever final the side was outgunned by a strong Sydney North outfit.
It was their only loss for the carnival and a bit of a David v Goliath battle with Sydney North the largest zone and North West the smallest.
Sydney North also boasted a Sydney Sixer and NSW Breaker in their side in Stella Campbell, who Whitton said can send the ball down at 120km an hour.
Chasing an imposing 223 they were bowled out for 95.
Whitton thought the bowling performance from his side was pretty good. They "kept it pretty tight for the majority", Sydney North hitting out a bit late.
"They hit 50 off about 35 balls so that took it away from us," he said.
North West then lost wickets in clumps, which Whitton said halted any momentum.
"We ended up facing 36 overs so they put up a bit of a fight," he said.
Graham and Elsie Ford (Narrabri High) top-scored with 19.
Whitton was immensely proud of how they performed, especially having only 10 players for the last three days of the carnival after one of the players fell ill on the first day.
Ford also played with a broken finger from Tuesday, albeit unbeknownst to Whitton.
They had gone into the carnival without two of their key players with Mim Barbara unavailable due to her upcoming ACT/NSW Country under-15s duties and Alyssa Ford, who was to be their wicket-keeper, doing her ACL.
"For the girls to be even there in the top four [was great] let alone the top two. The average age of the team is about 14-years old," Whitton said.
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He also noted that some of the girls had take on different roles. He gave Jackie Collett (Narrabri High) as an example.
Usually batting at around nine or 10, she was thrown up to open in the final and found herself facing someone bowling at 120 clicks.
North West did have the youngest player at the carnival in Armidale Secondary College's Sophie Parsons, but the 11-year old more than held her own.
"She batted at four for us every match," Whitton said.
"She was thrown in the deep end do to speak but she stood up."
As for Graham, Whitton, who is a teacher at Oxley and has coached the zone side for a few years, said it is as well as he has ever seen her bat.
He added that no one could recall anyone being dismissed as few a times as she was. She only got out twice.
