Georgia Voll has declared her decision to leave Brisbane for the Sydney Thunder vindicated, as Australia's next debutante prepares for a WBBL grudge match.
Voll will headline Friday night's final between the Heat and the Thunder in Brisbane, with the winner to advance to Sunday's decider against the Melbourne Renegades.
A Toowoomba junior, Voll left the Heat at the end of last summer after finishing the season batting as low as No.9 for the Heat after being dropped from the top order.
In her first season at the Thunder, the 21-year-old immediately moved into the opening role, and has become one of the breakout stars of the tournament with the bat.
Her 310 runs at an average of 31 and strike-rate of 146.22 also earned her a call-up to Australia's ODI squad for next week's three-match series against India, where selectors have confirmed she will open.
Voll remains contracted to Queensland in state cricket, where she has also been one of the leading run-scorers in the 50-over format this summer.
Asked if she now felt vindicated in her move, Voll said she definitely did.
"I always wanted to open," she said.
"You look at Grace Harris and Redders (Georgia Redmayne), they have done the job at the Heat for the past couple of years.
"It was always going to be tough for me to nail down a spot and obviously last year I was up and down the order, which was quite tough.
"That's why I wanted to open the batting. I do it for Queensland (in the WNCL) and I do it for my club back home.
"That was my main goal ... to have the opportunity and be backed by the coaches down here, and score some runs to repay the club for having the faith in me."
Voll said she expected to be given the silent treatment again by her former Heat teammates on Friday night, after not being sledged or talked to in their last meeting.
Regardless, the right-hander's wicket now looms as crucial in Friday's do-or-die final.
The Thunder have not lost any of the six games this summer where she has scored 15 or more up top, with her fast starts crucial to their success.
Voll was out for a duck in Wednesday night's knockout win over Hobart, marking one of the few times this campaign the Thunder have succeeded without her runs.
"I'm due now, so look out Brisbane," Voll quipped.
"Overall it's been a really good move for me as a person and a cricketer.
"I have grown so much since moving down here and learning off different people and coaches.
"To score some runs from it and get picked in an Aussie squad is just the cherry on top."
