Spirit and Breakers to face off in first Women's Twenty20 Final

History will be made at Adelaide Oval this Saturday when the DEC VicSpirit and NSW Breakers face-off in the first interstate Women?s Twenty20 Final.

The match will be played before the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash Final between the West End Redbacks and DEC Victorian Bushrangers and broadcast live on television in Australia.

The Spirit and Breakers have been the standout performers in the inaugural season of the Women?s Twenty20, a year in which teams from ACT and Tasmania were admitted into the new, expanded interstate competition.

DEC VicSpirit captain Rachael Haynes said:

"I think Twenty20 really suits our style of play, we?ve got aggressive batters who can score quickly and our bowlers have been really effective.?

"We?ve been playing well all season and we?re really looking forward to the challenge.

"They?re a strong team but we think we can match it with them. We won two of our three games against them so far this season so we head in with confidence."

NSW Breakers captain Lisa Sthalekar said:

"Playing in a final is not something we take for granted. It's always exciting and the fact that this is the inaugural Women's Twenty20 Final makes it extra special."

"We've got a lot of players in form like Alex Blackwell, Leah Poulton, Ellyse Perry and Erin Osborne, and we've had some big wins so far in the Twenty20 competition.

"Beating the Vics won't be easy. Very little has separated us during the summer in both Twenty20 and 50-over cricket and I know they will be as desperate to win this match as we are.

"We're really looking forward to continuing our rivalry this weekend and entertaining a big crowd at the Adelaide Oval and on FOX SPORTS."

Speaking on the double-header broadcast, Soames Treffry, Director FOX SPORTS Channels said:

"This season's KFC Twenty20 Big Bash has captured the spirit of the Australian public and the level of competition has really lived up to the surging interest in it.

"Twenty20 is a game for everyone, from the casual sports fan to the most ardent of cricket followers, and we're genuinely excited to be broadcasting a great LIVE double-header this Saturday, which is testament to the growth in this version of the game.

"In an Australian television first, FOX SPORTS will be broadcasting the first interstate Women's Twenty20 Final live from Adelaide Oval, which is shaping up to be an exciting clash before the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash Final.

"Players from both teams will be 'miked up' during the telecast, and former Australian women's cricket international Melanie Jones will be a special guest commentator, joining Brendon Julian, Allan Border, Damien Fleming, Greg Blewett and Mark Waugh."

Saturday night's match will be the first of two finals to be contest by the Spirit and Breakers in consecutive weeks. On Saturday 30 January at the MCG the teams will also meet in the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL) decider, with the Spirit looking to end the Breakers' streak of four straight titles.