QUEENSLAND returned to WNCL action after the Christmas Break in a big way, downing South Australia by three wickets to kick off its 2024 calendar year with a bang.

One of the most crucial components of that win was the bowling efforts of Zoe Cooke, whose five wickets helped turn the game in the Fire’s favour.

Cooke had bowled earlier in the innings, but it was not a very successful spell, only garnering 0/23 from the five overs in that stint.

Her second spell of the innings and the successfulness of it came at a really crucial time for Queensland, as South Australia was at the time looking very strong and very settled in its innings. Emma De Broughe was on 83, Amanda-Jade Wellington was on 49 and their partnership was just about at 100 runs.

Then, in came Cooke.

Her first wicket came in the 46th over, and in the first half of the over two runs were conceded, Wellington made her 50 and she and de Broughe brought up the century for their partnership.

However, on ball four it was a pretty straight delivery, with perhaps a little inswing, Wellington had taken a step back to give herself some room and in the process of doing so missed the ball and the Queensland keeper Georgia Redmayne was able to come in and stump Wellington.

Her second wicket came in the very next over she bowled.

South Australia began the over at 6/225, but then Cooke only conceded two runs before the wicket ball again.

The wicket ball itself saw Kate Peterson chip the ball up square of the wicket to Charli Knott, who then ran forward to successfully take the catch.

Her remaining wickets all came in the next over she bowled.

The start of this final over of the innings had been pretty straight from Cooke, with very little room given to the batters and only one run conceded.

Then, disaster struck as de Broughe and Courtney Neale were caught in successive balls, before Cooke clean bowled Anesu Mushangwe to give herself a hat trick to complete the innings.