Central North under-19s girls coach Henry Cupitt said there were a lot of positives to take away from what was a rain-affected Country Championship campaign.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Only two of their five games were completed.
Still, they got in more cricket that Cupitt was expecting with all the weather around.
"It was a good few days," he said.
Dealt a big blow before a ball was even bowled with captain Claire McGuirk ruled out after breaking her finger playing the week before, they couldn't have got off to a better start beating the home side by nine wickets.
In what Cupitt said was "a huge result", after restricting Central Coast to 6-121, they chased down the runs on the back of an unbeaten 64 from opener Caoimhe Bray with an over to spare.
Only 13, she is one of the most promising prospects in the zone and was one of a handful of players backing up from the under-16s carnival.
They were then 16 overs in against eventual runners-up North Coast when the rain came.
Against Greater Illawarra on Thursday afternoon they batted out their 20 overs, for 8-82, but a "torrential downpour" two overs into Illawarra's run chase saw the game abandoned.
They then went down narrowly to Western first-up on the final day.
A game that Cupitt said was probably theirs "for the taking", a few little things just hurt them.
"We bowled pretty well... just a few too many extras," he said.
Then chasing 104 for victory they were "pretty much on track but just lost wickets at the wrong moments".
"A couple of runouts there swung the momentum away."
They then looked headed for a victory to finish, having Riverina 7-60 in reply to their 4-121, when the rain hit.
Overall Cupitt thought the girls "did really well" and all had their moments with the bat, and ball.
"We had six under-16s backing up for the 19s, they were getting a bit fatigued as the week went on naturally," he said.
He did single out Bray. Along with her brilliant innings in the first game she also bowled really well.
Backing up from leading the 16s to the final Sophie Parsons also led the side well, co-captaining with Matiese Wadwell in the absence of McGuirk.
She was a big loss, Cupitt said, and made their efforts all the more pleasing.
"It is disappointing for Claire. That was her last year," he added.
It's now quiet on the representative front until the Regional Bash. Nominations for the Northern Inland Bolters team are open.
For some of the under-16s players there will also be an opportunity to play in the under-15 Youth Championships, which is a new addition to the female program this season.