NSW Breaks Fire-y hearts to win WNCL title
NEW SOUTH Wales are Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) champions for the first time in six seasons after an at times dramatic 21-run win over Queensland in yesterday’s final.
Chasing 216, Queensland lost two wickets in the first seven overs with Lucy Bourke (five) and Charli Knott (14) both falling cheaply. After a bad start, a 106-run third wicket partnership got the innings moving again as Georgia Redmayne (97) and Sianna Ginger (36) steadied the ship.
However once Ginger was bowled by Sammy-Jo Johnson in the 30th over, Queensland began to collapse. Over the course of the next six overs, the Fire lost 5-34 and slipped to 7-169 as Redmayne lost partners Lauren Winfield-Hill, Laura Harris, Mikayla Wrigley and Lucy Hamilton for a combined 13 runs.
Now the side needed 47 runs with 10 overs to go. However, four balls later Redmayne was dismissed after the most unfortunate of run outs, and Redmayne’s dismissal ultimately proved to be the beginning of the end for the Fire. They only scored 21 more runs before being bowled out for 194 just over six overs later.
Earlier in the day, the New South Wales innings did not have many particularly huge partnerships barring the fourth wicket 87-run pairing between Anika Learoyd (80) and Claire Moore (33). Learoyd was the backbone of the innings, going on to be rewarded with Player of the Match for her efforts.
When it came to the bowling, both sides really shred their wicket taking duties. For NSW, Lauren Cheatle, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Sam Bates and Georgia Adams all took two wickets each. While on the other side of the equation, Grace Parsons and Lucy Hamilton both took a trio of wickets for Queensland.
WNCL FINAL – QUEENSLAND VS NEW SOUTH WALES
RESULT: NSW defeated Queensland by 21 runs
POTM: Anika Learoyd (NSW)
TOSS: NSW won the toss and chose to bat
NEW SOUTH WALES 10/215 (48)
Anika Learoyd 80 (110), Claire Moore 33 (60)
Grace Parsons 3-29 (10), Lucy Hamilton 3-57 (10)
QUEENSLAND 10/194 (46.5)
Georgia Redmayne 97 (122), Sianna Ginger 36 (60)
Lauren Cheatle 2-32 (8), Sammy-Jo Johnson 2-36 (10), Sam Bates 2-41 (9.5), Georgia Adams 2-33 (9)
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