Finn-omenon: The rise of Breakers’ teen allrounder

When NSW Breakers debutant Lucy Finn ran in to bowl her first over in the WNCL last month, the commentators remarked how her pre-season goals would have been to do well in grade cricket and push for a game with the NSW 2nd XI.

Such has been the meteoric rise of the 19-year-old – a maiden WNCL appearance, preceded by a memorable WBBL debut for the Sydney Thunder.

An even more impressive feat was to follow two days later. With the Breakers – thus far undefeated and boasting a formidable top order – stunned at 5-76 against Tasmania, second-gamer Finn produced her first half-century in a 128-run stand with 10-time WNCL champion Sarah Coyte that helped NSW avoid defeat. 

The pace-bowling allrounder also picked up her first two wickets in the match, the big-hitting Lizelle Lee her first victim.

If first impressions are the most lasting, Finn has likely set herself up for a long run in top-flight cricket.

She had found herself in a similar position in her WBBL debut in November. Then, coming in at No.8 with the Thunder 6-42, the teenager hit eight boundaries in her unbeaten 49. Australian stars Phoebe Litchfield and Georgia Voll, and experienced internationals Heather Knight and Chamari Athapaththu, had all fallen for single digits.

While her lone hand wasn’t enough to take Thunder over the line, her fearless knock in her first outing at that level, in a high-pressure game against cross-town rivals Sydney Sixers, where she also took the wicket of opposition captain Ashleigh Gardner, was a display of not just her talent but a penchant to own big moments.

The casual confidence of the youngster is evident as she narrates what was going through her mind when as she walked out to bat in NSW’s second clash with Tasmania in three days. 

“In my first game, I came in lower order, so (in the second match) I was sort of like, ‘Alright, sweet. I’ve got some time in the middle to do that’,” Finn told cricket.com.au.

“I wasn’t trying to be too aggressive, because we still had heaps of overs to bat. (It was) just sort of see how it went.

“I got to face a few of their bowlers in the game before, I watched some footage and stuff like that. So, I wasn’t really too worried about the bowling.

“I was just excited that I could have time out there in the middle and wanted to get the team in good position heading into the second innings.”

With some steadying words of wisdom from Coyte, Finn batted until the 47th over, scoring 64 off 82 balls.

It was the “unique combination of height, bounce, accuracy and a calm presence” that had stood out for Sydney Thunder head coach Lisa Keightley when the club announced her signing ahead of WBBL|11.

Finn delivered on that promise straight away.

“That game was a bit of a tough one,” she said. “We’re in a bit of strife with the bat, so just had nothing to lose.

“So, I just thought, ‘Why not go out there and try and throw some counter punches and show everyone what I could do’.

“That was a really fun innings. Although we lost the game, I definitely took a lot of confidence from that innings into the rest of the Big Bash.

“I had a clear mind, didn’t really feel much like pressure at that time, because the game was pretty hard to get back.

“So I was just pretty relaxed and just batting like a normal game of cricket.”

Before Keightley signed her for the Thunder, she had closely worked with Finn in her coaching role within the Australian Under-19 setup. 

The youngster credited the former Australian international, who has held coaching assignments around the world, for encouraging her to develop a more dynamic approach to her batting.

“I first met her (Keightley) when we went over to Sri Lanka back in September, where she was the batting coach,” Finn recalled.

“As a batting unit we were struggling to form any big scores, but she just came in with a new way of thinking, got us playing reverse sweeps and laps and stuff like that, because playing spin over there can be really difficult.

“Just being able to talk to her about batting and the way she sees the game was amazing.

“I honestly hadn’t learned that much from a tour until I went on that tour.

“I’d never played a reverse sweep in a game before, and just went out and did it over there, just from her backing as a coach.”

While she loves both parts of the game, and despite being picked as a bowling allrounder for the Breakers and Thunder, Finn picks batting as her preferred skill.

“To be honest, batting is just so fun,” she explained. “The feeling of hitting a six is like no other, and you can do it for as long as you don’t get out.”

Meanwhile, fast bowling came naturally for the 183cm tall Finn. 

Watching her older brother and father play cricket in the front yard inspired her to pick up the bat and the ball herself.

She started playing aged five at her local club before graduating to NSW Premier Cricket side St George-Sutherland. 

“My dad has been a big influence on my cricketing journey,” she said. “He loves cricket.”

“He’ll talk about or watch cricket whenever and I get to do that with him.

“(With cricket), it always just came back to having fun.

“It was like just one of the most fun things I could do was go out on a Saturday morning and play cricket and I still try and keep that the reason why I do it today.”

Finn was asked by Breakers coach Peter Clarke to be ready for the opportunity two days ahead of her debut and the team list shared on the team’s messaging group on the eve of the game confirmed her selection.

The presence of her family as long-time club teammate Tahlia Wilson presented her cap at Cricket Central made it even more special.

“(Wilson) has sort of taken me under her wing, as we’ve played a lot of cricket together at the mighty ‘Slayers’ and then moving up into Thunder and Big Bash,” she said of Wilson. “She’s always looking out for me.”

“Getting to run out with the girls with the Baggy on that day was an awesome experience.”

Among Finn’s teammates in her first game was the retiring Australian captain Alyssa Healy. She also got to spend time with her childhood idol Ellyse Perry as part of the squad during an earlier round.

As awed as Finn has been by their presence, she has also made a deliberate effort to observe and learn from her legendary teammates’ routines. 

A recent call-up to play in the Governor-General’s XI against India, playing alongside the likes of Alana King and Kim Garth, was a good indicator she could soon follow in their footsteps.

“It’s quite crazy that I’m sharing the dressing room with them and being able to walk out on the field with ‘Midge’ (Healy) on my debut,” she said.

“They’re people I’ve looked up to from when I was a kid, always idolised them, and to now be playing with them, training with them, being around them, it’s just really cool.

“They’re both super nice people, and I just love seeing how they go about their training and their prep and on matchday.

“It’s really cool to be around them and if I can take a few things away from being able to play with them, I’d be super happy.”

For now, Finn is focused on helping the Breakers claim back-to-back WNCL titles.

With a home final secured for March 21, the excitement cannot be higher for the newcomer.

“The girls went up to Brisbane last season and got the win,” she said, “so they’re super pumped that we get to be part of that final at home.”

“We’ve played quite a few games at Cricket Central so far this season, so we know the ground pretty well, and the wicket.

“It’ll be super cool to have heaps of family and friends and teammates be able to watch the game and support us hopefully on the sidelines.”

WNCL 2025-26 standings