Runner-up title for cricketing duo

Gunnedah-based cricketers Zoe Fleming and Marnee Walters were part of the NSW women’s team which reached the final in this year’s National Indigenous Cricket Championships (NICC) in Mackay.

It was the second successive year in which Fleming and Walters played together in the NICC in Mackay, with NSW finishing third last year after Fleming played in NSW titles from 2017 to 2021.

A third Gunnedah-based cricketer, Mackenzie Keeler, was also picked in this year’s NSW squad but she was unfortunately forced to watch from the sidelines due to injury.

With rain spoiling some of this year’s NICC, NSW recovered from a sluggish start to qualify for the decider while Fleming and Walters had their moments throughout the championships.

“It’s always an honour to play in the NICC with girls that become family,” Fleming said.

“It’s great to see everyone from all over NSW come together to represent our culture playing a sport we love.

“It was great to be a part of the cultural day to learn more about Yuwi country.”

With the NSW team closely resembling last year’s team, the 24-year-old Fleming was the third oldest player in the squad for the second successive year.

With the opening day being Tuesday of last week, Victoria amassed 176 runs for the loss of only two wickets in its 20 overs before NSW was restricted to 9-100.

Fleming bowled two overs and then top-scored in the run chase with 32 off 26 balls at number four, while finding the boundary four times.

Walters batted at number 10, and finished on five not out while the prospect of a NSW victory was well out of reach.

Victoria benefited enormously from the inclusion of Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) duo Ella Hayward and Emma Manix-Geeves, both of whom scored speedy half-centuries.

Wednesday’s fixtures were washed out, with NSW scheduled to contest Queensland that day before NSW had a break on the following two days.

NSW kept its finals hopes alive last Saturday with a five-wicket triumph against Western Australia, which featured WNCL player Mikayla Hinkley who had played a dominant role in Western Australia’s title win last year.

Walters was involved in a run-out before she held a catch at mid-wicket, and Fleming bowled one over as Western Australia tallied 7-137.

The run chase began disastrously when Fleming was the final victim in a hat-trick in the first over, before a dashing 83 not out from Callee Black enabled NSW to win with eight balls to spare.

NSW and Western Australia faced off in the preliminary final later that same day, with the latter making 6-140 following 65 off 44 balls from Hinkley.

The first wicket fell in the fifth over when Walters was again involved in a run-out, before Fleming claimed the prized scalp of Hinkley who was bowled by the Gunnedah-based all-rounder in the 16th over.

Fleming finished with 1-21 from four overs, before scoring five not out as NSW coasted to a nine-wicket victory with 14 balls to spare.

With NSW facing Victoria in the decider last Sunday, Fleming bowled four overs and held a catch in the deep as Victoria reached 3-157 following 42 not out from Manix-Geeves.

Fleming was dismissed cheaply as NSW succumbed for 99 in 18.3 overs, while Walters’s three not out enabled her to finish the championships with eight runs without being dismissed.

“Hopefully we can go back next year,” Fleming said.

“It’s always exciting to be selected and a great honour to represent our culture and state, and hopefully we can do one better and take out the title.”

Walters said she too was really looking forward to playing again next year.

“What I loved most about it was being part of the Indigenous Championship in Mackay and playing cricket with a team that felt like family,” Walters said.

“The bond we had on and off the field made the whole experience unforgettable.”

Zoe Fleming. Photo: Cricket NSW.