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Ray shows her class against the boys as she opens for Tuff Dogs

Blazing trail: Briana Ray became the first female to take on the men this season in the Evening Cricket League

Teenager Briana Ray proved a big hit when she and her father Gary opened the batting for Evening Cricket League champions Tuff Dogs.

Briana, who attends Loughborough University in England, smacked the first ball of the game for six over cow corner off former Tuff Dog Maurice Steede and although she was out for nine -- and her father for eight -- she helped engineer a 61-run victory over Bailey's Bay in a rearranged match at Sea Breeze Oval to wrap up the league season on Friday.

Briana, 19, believed to be the first female to take on the men in the league this season, also took two catches and would have returned more impressive bowling figures "if we hadn't dropped three catches off her", said Terence Corday, Tuff Dogs' captain.

She finished with one for 16 from four overs of medium pace and clearly impressed Corday.

"Briana is a very good cricketer. I think she has a bright future in cricket wherever she chooses to play," he said.

With their first league title since 2019 already in the bag, Tuff Dogs piled up 143 for six in 13 overs after winning the toss, Azeem Khan leading the way at No 5 with 48 and Dean Richards, who came in ahead of him, chipping in with 38.

Lorenzo Simmons, the captain, made 36 not out from 24 balls in Bay's reply, but they fell well short, closing on 82 for four, with Monroe Darrell taking two for 31. Chris Colby was Bay's most successful bowler with two for 24.

Tuff Dogs ended the season on 45 points, six clear of CV Chargers -- the only team to beat the new champions -- in group two. Renegades, champions for the past two seasons, edged The Associates on net run rate after both finished on 33 points in group one..

KPMG's hopes of an eighth win were dashed when their rearranged game against Fine Leg Byes was called off on Thursday because of the approach of Hurricane Earl, each team picking up a point.

KPMG tried to rearrange the game for the following evening at Shelly Bay, "but Fine Leg Byes were unable to arrange a team at such short notice -- which was understandable", Michael Campbell, the KPMG captain, said.

A decision by the league executive has handed Bay the three points after their game against KPMG in July was abandoned when two KPMG players were taken to hospital with head injuries following a collision as both went for a catch.

"We actually ended the game, not Bailey's Bay," said Campbell. "I knew the rules around injuries as they are would favour Bailey's Bay. Our focus was on our two lads' safety, so we weren't bothered about a game of cricket."

Added Campbell: "Honestly, the decision doesn't bother us."

Tuff Dogs will be chasing a third piece of silverware in 2022 when the knockout gets under way, having defeated Renegades by ten wickets at the start of the season in the final of the delayed 2021 tournament, which had been called off because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The plate, for the league's bottom six teams, sees Bay take on North Village tonight (Tuesday) with Fine Leg Byes facing De Wicketest tomorrow. Both games are at Shelly Bay. PHC and KPMG have first-round byes.

"We're looking forward to the plate games and winning that," said Campbell.

First-round games in the main tournament featuring the top six teams are expected to be held on Saturday when The Associates take on High Flyaz and CV Chargers face West XI. Tuff Dogs and Renegades have byes.

Sea Breeze Oval (Tuff Dogs won toss): Tuff Dogs 143-6 (13 overs; Azeem Khan 48, Dean Richards 38); Bailey's Bay 82-4 (13 overs; Lorenzo Simmons 36 not out). Tuff Dogs beat Bailey's Bay by 61 runs.

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Published September 13, 2022 at 7:51 am (Updated September 13, 2022 at 7:51 am)

Ray shows her class against the boys as she opens for Tuff Dogs

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