Western Australia have ended their 2024-25 Women's National Cricket League on a positive note, with a thrilling six-run victory over South Australia at the WACA Ground this afternoon.
WA end WNCL campaign with last-over victory
SA were the only team who held their fate in their own hands heading into Friday's final day of regular season games and a win over bottom-ranked WA at the WACA Ground would have seen them make the WNCL final for the third time in four years.
But they were unable to chase down WA's 9-254, leaving them in third position on the table while New South Wales will advance to the decider against Queensland at Allan Border Field on March 2.
South Australia's chances looked dim when WA's spinners reduced them to 6-140 in the 29th over, still needing 115 runs in the must-win encounter.
But Barsby's unbeaten 54, which saw her share a 52-run eighth-wicket stand with Megan Schutt, helped take the chase down to the final over, where they needed 12 runs with just one wicket in hand.
WA's Rebecca McGrath held her nerve, however, denying SA a spot in the decider - and sending the NSW squad, anxiously watching on in Sydney, into raptures.
NSW, who featured in every single WNCL final from when the competition started in 1996-97 through to 2019-20, will return to the decider for the first time in five years, while Queensland will be desperate to make amends after losing the 2023-24 final to Tasmania.
Friday's loss capped a disappointing end to the 2024-25 season for South Australia, who had been on top of the table before losing four of their final six matches.
Earlier, WA elected to bat first and after Schutt removed captain Chloe Piparo (5) early, Maddy Darke (86) and Bhavi Devchand (81) joined in a 163-run second-wicket stand to frustrate an SA attack also featuring Aussie speedster Darcie Brown.
Barsby finally removed both set batters in the space of two overs, triggering a collapse of 6-33 as Amanda-Jade Wellington (3-41) rattled through the middle order.
The late efforts of Lilly Mills (22no) and Amy Edgar lifted the WA total above 250, setting SA a tricky chase.
The South Australians changed up their opening partnership – perhaps thinking a bonus point could be required to stay a point ahead of NSW, whose own final game of the season was a rain-affected eight-wicket DLS win over ACT that moved them three points ahead of SA – promoting Ellie Johnston to join Emma de Broughe.
The move failed to pay off, as WA's spinners wreaked havoc with the SA top order leaving the visitors 4-60.
Johnston was caught behind for 23 off the bowling of Edgar, who then removed both de Broughe (24) and Courtney Webb (6), while Mills accounted for English import Hollie Armitage (4).
Bridget Patterson (43) and Maddie Penna (32) looked to repair the damage but when Mills bowled the latter to break their 78-run stand, and Devchand got the key wicket of Patterson, SA were 6-140 still needing 115 runs, ultimately leaving too much for the lower order to do despite Barsby's best efforts.
WA finished the 2024-25 WNCL season in seventh place, with three wins from twelve matches.