Defeat for WA in WNCL return

Western Australia have fallen short in their opening Women's National Cricket League fixture of the 2025 calendar year, with New South Wales prevailing by 41 runs at the WACA Ground yesterday.

WA played their first WNCL match for over three months but were unable to get their first win of their 2024-25 campaign after an unbeaten hundred from talented NSW batter Anika Learoyd (101*) and a classy 78 from skipper Georgia Adams powered the Breakers to victory.

The day started brightly for the home side, with debutant Naomi Dattani getting her first wicket in the Yellow and Black, removing Elsa Hunter for 11 after a tidy catch at backward point from Charis Bekker.

Tight bowling during the middle overs then applied the brakes on the NSW innings, which resulted in the wicket of Tahlia Wilson (33) as she tried to take down offspinner Amy Edgar.

Learoyd and Adams then got to work, with the pair putting the pressure back on the home side’s bowling attack with quality strokeplay and hard running between the wickets.  The pair completely dominated the majority of the innings, with their 157-run partnership guiding their side to a very competitive 6-276 off their 50 overs on a good batting track.

Seamer Zoe Britcliffe (1-40 off ten overs) was the most economical of the WA bowlers, while Bekker, Dattani and Edgar finished amongst the wicket-takers.

Chasing 277 for victory, WA’s openers Maddy Darke (73) and skipper Chloe Piparo (16) got their team off to a flying start in the first ten overs as they compiled 65 runs without loss.

NSW seamer Hannah Darlington then removed Piparo shortly after the powerplay, before Sarah Coyte managed to sneak a ball past the defences of Edgar when she was on 4.

WA’s middle order all managed to get starts but were unable to turn it into an innings of significance as the 277-run target started becoming a tougher and tougher ask to achieve as the game wore on.

The home side were eventually bowled out for 235 in the 48th over, 41 runs short of the target.

Darke (73) was the only WA batter to pass 50, with Mathilda Carmichael (32), Mikayla Hinkley (31), Dattani (23) and Bhavi Devchand (22) the others to make solid contributions.

The defeat leaves WA without a win from their opening five matches of the season, with another clash to come against the same opposition tomorrow. 

The squad for Tuesday’s match is unchanged.

WA squad for Women’s National Cricket League Game Six: Chloe Piparo ©, Charis Bekker, Zoe Britcliffe, Mathilda Carmichael, Maddy Darke, Naomi Dattani, Bhavi Devchand, Amy Edgar, Mikayla Hinkley, Shay Manolini, Rebecca McGrath, Lilly Mills, Taneale Peschel