The girls won all three of their pool matches in the preliminary round in convincing style before facing Mitchell Park pool winners Here for Beer in the final.  

Here for Beer was asked to bat first and made the lowest score in Ladies Eights finals history; restricted to just 20 runs off their eight overs.

Batting for the Pink Panthers, the Maher sisters Kate and Lyn peeled off the required runs in under four overs, finishing at 0/28.

Pink Panthers team member Hannah Northey said the key to their success is the fun they have on the field. 

The team is made up of girls from Cootamundra and Hillston with the Cootamundra contingent playing in the local touch football competition together. 

Their touch team Old n Weary made it into A grade this year and finished third so they went into the Ladies Eights with some good sporting form under their belt. 

“This is the only time of year we put on cricket gloves and have a go but we love it; we love getting together each year and having fun,” Hannah said. 

Last year, the girls lost a game heading through to the final so were pleased to get through all three pool rounds this year unscathed. 

Hannah commended organisers, including Pat Kerin, on the smooth running of the carnival.

She also applauded the efforts of fellow Pink Panther Janice Dunk, as the driving force behind the team each year. 

In total, eight teams took part in the carnival with most players from Cootamundra and Canberra, Yass, Hillston, Wombat, and Lake Cargelligo also represented. 

Brendan Gale and Adam Twyford umpired and scored at Mitchell Park, while John Murray assisted with umpiring at Albert Park.

Tom Smith, Ben Rumble and Malachi Murray, all 13, shared scoring duties for the seven matches at Albert Park.

The carnival was sponsored by Cricket NSW for the seventh time.