Erin Osborne touched down in the Northern Territory expecting anything but a miracle.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Fair enough too, given the ACT Meteors were only suiting up for their first pre-season games with an eye on the opening round of the WNCL in September.
What came next, while perhaps not a miracle, is enough to suggest the Meteors have reason to dare to dream in this season's revamped one-day competition.
Claire Koski hit an unbeaten 106 from 129 deliveries while Anna Lanning chipped in with an unbeaten 73 (104) to guide the ACT to an eight-wicket win over Tasmania at Marrara Oval.
But a familiar face would go on to square the ledger in the return bout as Tasmanian recruit Sam Bates claimed 2-37 to see the Meteors fold for 228.
Osborne played a lone hand with 80 (84) - Lanning's 34 was the next best - as the Tigers coasted to a seven-wicket win.
While the Meteors return to Canberra with one win and one loss to their name, the fact they are together this early to begin with is a huge boost as they look to break a WNCL title drought.
MORE CRICKET
They are far removed from the days when only four people would turn up to 6am conditioning sessions.
"There's only a couple of girls who aren't down here. Izzy Afaras is doing her HSC up in Sydney, and Sarah Coyte will remain in Sydney and travel on a weekly basis to Canberra," Osborne said.
"Other than that, everyone is in Canberra. It's nice to have a full squad weekly training. The Meteors are going in a really good direction.
"There has been lots of positive changes made in the office in the high performance team. Cricket is in a really good space and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.
"It makes a huge difference. We're able to build a culture, hopefully one that breeds success. We've seen Maitlan [Brown] playing in England [for Australia A] and experiencing success on that international stage.
"Hopefully we're able to develop a few more players now that we're here on a full-time basis training together.
"Hopefully we can play a positive style of cricket that will catch the eyes of the selectors and promote some of our younger players onto that Australian level."
The Meteors will regroup in Canberra as they set their sights on their WNCL season opener against Victoria in Adelaide on September 22.
It looms as a perfect chance for the ACT to get their campaign off to a dream start given they will meet a Victorian outfit missing international superstars Ellyse Perry and Meg Lanning.
The Victorians could also be without the likes of Elyse Villani, Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux and Tayla Vlaeminck as the Australian squad makes their way home from a tour of the West Indies rounding out in mid-September.
Brown looms as the most likely Meteor to tour if she can find a way to crack the all-conquering Australian squad leading into a jam-packed summer closed out by a Twenty20 World Cup defence on home soil.
It means the ACT will be close to full strength for the opening week of the WNCL before splitting up for the WBBL.
The competition resumes on January 6, with the Meteors rounding out their campaign with four home games split across Manuka Oval and Phillip Oval.
ACT METEORS WNCL FIXTURE
Game 1: September 22 - Victoria v ACT Meteors at Park 25, Adelaide, 10am.
Game 2: September 24 - SA Scorpions v ACT Meteors at Karen Rolton Oval, 10am.
Game 3: January 6 - NSW Breakers v ACT Meteors at Hurstville Oval, 10am.
Game 4: January 7 - ACT Meteors v Queensland Fire at Blacktown International Sportspark, 10am.
Game 5: January 21 - ACT Meteors v Queensland Fire at Manuka Oval, 10am.
Game 6: January 23 - ACT Meteors v NSW Breakers at Manuka Oval, 10am.
Game 7: February 4 - ACT Meteors v Western Australia at Phillip Oval, 10am.
Game 8: February 6 - ACT Meteors v Tasmania Tigers at Phillip Oval, 10am.
Final: February 16 - First place v second place at venue TBC.