Western Australia have ended their clashes against ACT Meteors with one win and one loss in the latest round of Women’s National Cricket League matches played at EPC Solar Park on the weekend.
WA split WNCL contests with ACT
WA headed into Friday’s first encounter with the Meteors in seventh position on the WNCL ladder with one win from eight matches, but produced their most complete performance of the season to win by six wickets with more than three overs to spare.
After winning the toss and electing to field first, WA managed to strike regularly in the early exchanges, reducing the hosts to 5-45 in the 15th over.
Steady batting from the home side allowed the momentum to shift throughout the middle overs, with significant contributions from allrounders Zoe Cooke (47) and Holly Ferling (47) lifting the Meteors to a competitive total of 7-208 off their 50 overs.
Debutant Emily Arlott (3-40 off ten) was the pick of the WA bowlers, with the Englishwoman’s extra pace and bounce seeing her breakthrough twice during her opening spell. Seamer Zoe Britcliffe (2-44 off ten) continued her great form, to finish as her side’s other multiple wicket-taker.
As has often been the case this season, skipper Chloe Piparo (20) and Maddy Darke (59) got WA off to a positive start in the Powerplay, as the pair successfully navigated the first ten overs.
Wickets of Piparo and Rebecca McGrath (12) reignited the home side, before a third wicket stand of 59 runs between Darke and Mathilda Carmichael (61) edged WA ahead in the chase.
Darke produced her third half-century of the campaign off 81 balls with four boundaries, before her innings was cut short by medium pacer Gabby Sutcliffe.
The wicket of Darke didn’t halt the momentum of the WA innings, with Carmichael moving on to her second straight fifty off just 72 deliveries. She was joined by the in-form Mikayla Hinkley (38 off 29), who was able to find the boundary five times to lift WA to its second victory of the season.
Sunday’s clash saw WA unveil a sixth debutant of the summer and second in consecutive matches, with Melville seamer Maddie White coming into the XI.
The day started off perfectly for the away side, with Piparo producing a direct hit run-out to dismiss Meteors opener Grace Dignam (0) in the first over of the day.
Despite the early setback, the Meteors were able to build their innings steadily, with Katie Mack (85) and Olivia Porter (37) putting on 78 runs for the second wicket.
Tight bowling from Amy Edgar (3-32 off ten) and Lilly Mills (1-59 off ten) produced a flurry of wickets during the middle overs, as the home side were reduced to 5-109.
A counter-attack from skipper Mack in combination with Annie Wickman (50) and Cooke (34) provided the Meteors with a much-needed boost in the back half of their innings, eventually seeing them finish on 9-253.
The 254-run target proved too much for WA, with the batting lineup unable to produce enough momentum to chase down the required runs.
Hinkley (59) was once again the shining light, with the 26-year-old finding the boundary on six occasions to finish as the side’s top-scorer.
Darke (28) and Britcliffe (27*) were the only other batters to pass 20, as WA were dismissed for 175 inside 46 overs.
WA remain in seventh position after ten matches, as they round out their campaign with matches against South Australia at the WACA Ground on 19 and 21 February.
The WNCL ladder can be found here