The ACT Meteors are contenders for the Women's National Cricket League title after completing back-to-back victories in Melbourne this weekend.
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After sneaking past the Western Fury by two wickets on Saturday, the Meteors held their nerve again to record a crucial 18-run win against the South Australia Scorpions at the Camberwell Sports Ground on Sunday.
The Meteors posted a modest total of 169, but four wickets to Angela Reakes and a three-wicket haul to Southern Stars all-rounder Erin Osborne helped them bowl out the Scorpions for 151.
It leaves the Meteors in a three-way tie for first place on 13 points with Victoria and South Australia (one game in hand), with NSW (two games in hand) and Queensland (two games in hand) also in the hunt on 10 points.
The Meteors will have to rely on other results to see if they can still make the final when they host the NSW Breakers at Manuka Oval on November 21.
"It keeps our chances alive of playing in the final," Osborne said.
"We have a really big game against NSW Breakers who are obviously the defending champions.
"It's going to be tough, but we think we have the team to do it."
Even more impressive was that the Meteors were without New Zealand internationals Lea Tahuhu and Sara McGlashan.
For the second straight game, the Meteors' batters failed to make the most of their starts, with Sara Hungerford top-scoring with 37.
The Meteors got the early wicket they needed when Kira Churchland enticed a catch out of opening batter Tegan McPharlin.
English international Sarah Taylor put the Scorpions in a strong position before falling for 42 from just 40 balls to Osborne.
The Meteors continued to make inroads into the Scorpions' batting order and had them at 6-101 after 27 overs.
Reakes claimed the next three wickets before wicket-keeper Rebecca Maher effected a run-out to end the match.
"I think it's said a lot about our team culture and our willingness to fight," Osborne said.
"We haven't had a great time with the bat here and it's been quite hard work on a tacky wicket, but how we've worked in the field as a team and got those wickets, it's amazing.
"We have finally found our team character."
WNCL: ACT Meteors 169 (Sara Hungerford 37) bt South Australia Scorpions 151 (Angela Reakes 4-35, Erin Osborne 3-20) by 18 runs at Camberwell Sports Ground, Melbourne, on Sunday.
