The Spirit are currently sitting in third place on both the WNCL and Women's Twenty20 table, but Fitzpatrick believes that there is time to regain momentum for the remaining games of the season.

Coming off a weekend of losses against arch rivals the NSW Breakers, Former Southern Stars pace bowler, turned DEC Spirit Head Coach, Cathryn Fitzpatrick, is preparing the girls to get back on top of their game for the rest of the season. The Spirit are currently sitting in third place on both the WNCL and Women's Twenty20 table, but Fitzpatrick believes that there is time to regain momentum for the remaining games of the season. "It's unfortunate and frustrating we haven't been able to play full matches because of rain," said Fitzpatrick. "Other teams have had that advantage, but we have heaps of time to recover and exploit every opportunity presented to us," she said. The Spirit's last set of matches, resulted in disappointing outcomes for the home team. The girls lost both T20 matches and the scheduled WNCL 50-over final rematch was a wash out. "We played really well in the 50 over match before the rain, but in the end, we were outplayed in the T20s," said Fitzpatrick. "The Breakers had momentum and stuck to their game plan and we lacked presence which was disappointing." Having Kristen Beams and Julie Hunter out of the squad due to shoulder injuries along with two senior players retiring, the Spirit squad is going through a period of significant change. "We have had five changes to the squad since the first T20 match against WA and you don't expect that much rotation in a team in such a short period of time, but it just has to be absorbed." "The younger girls stepping into the squad need to learn how to sustain any pressure applied and perform." When asked about what the squad needs to work on to get back in form, Fitzpatrick replied, "A little more application is required - that's all." "The girls work so hard at training and their commitment is not the issue at hand. We just need to be a bit smarter in the execution of our strategies and tactics and learn to apply ourselves for longer periods of time." Fitzpatrick deems T20 as the future of cricket and thinks the girls need as much exposure as possible to this form of the game. "T20 is where cricket is heading. The more experience the girls have, the better. Double headers at a state level, especially during KFC Twenty20 Big Bash season are invaluable. "It sells the game to mass audiences, but it also gets people aware and involved with women's cricket. That level of integration with the guys is great." The Spirit's next match is against the Cripps Tasmanian Roar at Bellerive Oval on 10 December. The weekend will comprise of two T20s and a 50 over WNCL match.

26 NOVEMBER, 2010