SOUTH Australian acting captain Bridget Patterson‘s match-winning knock was the centrepiece of a close win against New South Wales at Cricket Central in Sydney.

She hit nine fours in her 90 runs, scored off 105 balls to help her side chase down the total of 9-241 set by their opposition. They won the contest with one ball remaining, winning by just two wickets.

Starting out the run chase, Emma De Broughe was one of the stand-outs notching up 66 runs off 93 balls to become the second-highest run scorer for SA. Her opening partner Ellie Johnston met a different fate however, being bowled by Breakers pacer Lauren Cheatle for a three-ball duck.

Back-to-back lean scores from the visitors saw Courtney Webb and Hollie Armitage return to the sheds, only earning nine runs each, however their departures saw Patterson and then Madeline Penna, the pair that changed their fortunes.

Penna added 30 runs from 47 balls faced, aiding her skipper in their partnership. It was all-rounder Amanda-Jade Wellington (18 not out off 17) and fast bowler Courtney Neale (one off one not out) that hit the winning runs to take their side to victory.

Sammy-Jo Johnson was the pick of the bowlers for the home side, taking three wickets from eight overs. She took the scalps of de Broughe, Penna and Price, the former two players having played a role for their side.

Cheatle also bowled well, taking two wickets in her 9.5 overs, including Johnston and Megan Schutt.

Bowling first, SA all-rounder Penna started out the contest in fine form, taking 4-40 to restrict NSW to 241 runs from their allotted 50 overs. Neale also contributed two wickets, taking the scalps of Elsa Hunter and Tahlia Wilson.

Wilson built a solid foundation for the Breakers with her 62 runs from 92 deliveries, despite losing Hunter in the fourth over. She was joined by the NSW top run-scorer Anika Learoyd who hit 71 runs off 98 balls to propel them to what was close to a defendable total.

After Learoyd fell in the 32nd over, they added 97 runs in the remaining 18.4 overs as South Australia arrested the momentum.

The result was a big one for South Australia, who is now in second place on the WNCL table with one win separating itself from NSW and Victoria who are in third and fourth respectively. Only the top two sides in the competition will play for the title, hoping to take it from the Tasmanians, who have had a stronghold on the cup.