Sport
Echuca Green’s Maisy Byrne expresses shock, gratitude after receiving best-on-ground in premiership win
Shock and awe.
Those are perhaps the best words to describe Echuca Green opener Maisy Byrne’s reaction to receiving best-on-ground recognition in Sunday’s Goulburn Murray Cricket women’s grand final.
The Echuca Green opener skilfully took the contest out of Mooroopna’s reach alongside Gillian Noelker, putting up a knock of 33 (three fours) en route to a nine-wicket win.
Byrne never saw the award coming, though.
“I was super thrilled,” Byrne said.
“I was thinking of all my good teammates on the day, like Chloe (Moyle), Jess (Cox) and my best mate Grace (Riddell); she did really well, too.
“I wasn’t expecting myself because everyone did their bit.”
It was a comprehensive premiership win brought on by plenty of handy work in the field, with three run outs inflicting severe damage to Mooroopna’s momentum.
Byrne was a batter in form, though, with scores of 20 and above in four of her past five outings — not just from opening, but coming in at five and seven during that stretch.
“I definitely have come a long way over the season,” Byrne said.
“The girls have pushed me to do my best and I’ve always asked what I can do better.
“I’ve improved with help from the more experienced ones like Gill (Noelker).”
Above all Byrne was grateful for Green having broken through a threatening Mooroopna side on the big stage.
“It was really good to win when we needed to,” Byrne said.
“After (the qualifying final), we said we didn’t have to beat them now, only in the granny.
“We worked hard and got it done.”