While the Orana Outlaws women don't yet know when they'll take to the fields at the SCG to take on the other finals bound teams, team manager and western cricket legend Marie Cornish believed there was reason to be optimistic.
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"Unfortunately, we don't know when it's going to be, last year the girls played around February, it's just when the grounds are available," Cornish said.
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"They've got to figure it all out and work around some things, we're hoping that we can be two days together this time, they play a semi in the morning, then one in the afternoon, then the finals under lights."
The Outlaws are already anticipating their first match-up, likely with the ACT Aces, who've been drawn into the same pool as the Outlaws this year.
The triumph is a particularly sweet one for the Outlaws women, who were knocked out of the competition last year by the Illawarra Flames, and also got to experience the boost of playing alongside a marquee player for the first time.
Former Indigenous NSW Captain Julie Muir played that role for the Outlaws this year, taking five wickets and severely hampering the Flames batting output.
Kira Churchland and Julie Muir, between the two of them they both played really well, we awarded them a match ball each.
- Marie Cornish
"Getting Jo Kelly out early on was a big plus for our side, because she's an outstanding batswoman," Cornish said.
"We got her in the first over, which was a huge boost, then Roxsanne Van-Veen took a great catch right on the boundary to dismiss their other top-scorer Kate Lea."
While Muir's influence on how the match played out was hard to ignore, with western talent Kira Churchland delivering an unbeaten half-century to represent the other biggest impact on the Outlaws' success, the biggest influence Muir held for many was in her leadership off the green.
"We still have four girls at school, they're going into year 12 now, they enjoyed getting to play with some of the older girls, they don't get that opportunity as often nowadays, not out in the country, unless they're playing grade cricket," Cornish said.
"Julie came on and bowled really well for us, but having that mentorship, she grew up in Cowra and she mentors a lot of our Indigenous kids already, but everyone got to share in it."
"Usually, they're not getting that exposure or that mentorship on the field."
The victory represented a solid win for the Outlaws, who managed to overcome early danger in the batting order thanks to Churchland's steady, guiding swings in the middle of the innings to put up a total of 102/7.
While the Flames were able to put together runs early, the middler order collapse orchestrated by Muir with the ball constrained to them under a 100, with their efforts totalling out at 91/10.
While a date has not yet been secured for the women's finals, Cornish said she was expecting for the women to make the trip to the SCG in January.
