Brisbane Heat superstar Beth Mooney heaps praise on “unflappable’’ captain Kirby Short

Brisbane Heat superstar Beth Mooney has heaped praise on “unflappable’’ captain Kirby Short for her role in leading the Heat to back to back WBBL titles.

Brisbane Heat superstar Beth Mooney has heaped praise on “unflappable’’ captain Kirby Short for her role in leading the Heat to back to back WBBL titles.

Brisbane accounted for Adelaide by six wickets yesterday at Allan Border Field, again displaying a tremendous team performance in all aspects of the game.

Mooney said Heat had been a more consistent team this summer and that was a reflection on the “unflappable’’ Short.

Kirby Short and Beth Mooney of the Heat Heat (AAP Image/Glenn Hunt)

“One of the big things is we have had a core group of players who has been the same and the person who has led that has been Kirby (Short) who has done an outstanding job leading the group,’’ Mooney said.

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“To be honest she is probably the captain you want in your team because she is pretty unflappable out there.

Amelia Kerr of the Heat (centre) hugs teammate Beth Mooney and joined by Kirby Short (right) as she celebrates taking the wicket of Suzie Bate. (AAP Image/Dan Peled)

“She has led this team in the last four years in a direction which has created a dynasty and a legacy that, when she decides to move on from the game, she can be proud of what she has left behind.

“For me it is about everything she has done in the last four years to get us where we are and she has been a massive impact on all the success we have had,’’ the Australian batting star said.

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Short’s club coach at the Western Districts Club, Ben Maddox, said Short was a “highly intuitive’’ person and “extremely good at motivating the other girls.’’

“She is highly competitive and just determined and driven and for a leader on the field, that is someone you want.

“On the field you want someone who can read the play, but also support the younger kids and get them going in the same direction.’’

Short said the team adopted the words hungry and humble at the start of the year, and her outfit did not want them to merely be words on the back of a poster, rather than be something the side lived by across the season.

Kirby Short (2nd from right) and Jessica Jonassen (right) of the Heat embrace. (AAP Image/Glenn Hunt)

“Noffers (coach Ashley Noffke) has held us to account over those things and are appreciated of his leadership in that,’’ Short said.

“And for us to have lived those, to have the flexibility we do with the quality of players we do have a unit, you (her team) deserve to be here, you deserve this win and I am just so proud of you.’’

Brisbane Heat captain Kirby Short (left) and head coach Ashley Noffke lift the championship trophy. (AAP Image/Dan Peled)

There has never been a better example of team play than displayed by this group across the last two seasons which is a reflection on leader Short.

They have the star Mooney and two New Zealanders in Green and Kerr, and while individually the team has very, very good players, it is not an all-star side which makes the victory for a second successive season all the more meritorious.