NSW Breakers make it a decade of dominance

The NSW Lend Lease Breakers cruised to a 10th successive National Women's Cricket League title on Sunday and Breakers captain Alex Blackwell says her side are more than capable of extending their decade-long stranglehold on the 50-over competition.

NSW ended an erratic season with an emphatic 144-run win over the Breezair SA Scorpions in the final at Blacktown, dominating their opponents with both bat and ball.

The Breakers set SA a target of 280 and then dismissed them for 135 in the 45th over.Image Id: ~/media/E74DEE277B8A48449490E9B5EAFDC071

Ellyse Perry scored a half century and took two wickets for the champions // Getty Images

The Breakers have now won 17 of the 19 titles since the current format of the 50-over competition was introduced in 1997.

"I think we have a lot of depth and that has always been the case for many years in NSW," said Blackwell.

"We had two quality bowlers sitting on the sideline for the final in Lauren Smith and Kara Sutherland.

"The programs for the junior pathways have been outstanding for many years so it is no surprise we have been successful and I think we can keep winning."

NSW were in imperious form in the field, nabbing several difficult catches, while the wickets were shared among six bowlers.

The dominance of the home side rarely came under threat with SA quickly reduced to 3-55 and star batter Sarah Taylor back in the pavilion.

Spinner Erin Osborne ended with the best figures for the Breakers, collecting 3-33 as SA were bowled out.Image Id: ~/media/8B6E9886C4F1418B898B5D95D94FBDB9

Breakers players celebrate the final Scorpions wicket // Getty Images

NSW opened strongly with a first-wicket partnership of 89 and they enjoyed strong contributions throughout the innings before reaching 4-279.

Opener Rachael Haynes top-scored with 79 in a classy knock complied off just 89 deliveries, including three sixes.Image Id: ~/media/4122C76417BC492D8FE1DD33852FB26B

Rachael Haynes hits out during her Player of the Match knock // Getty Images

Captain Alex Blackwell (67) and all-rounder Ellyse Perry (57no) also scored half-centuries to continue their fine form from Friday's seven-wicket semi-final win over Victoria.

NSW did it the hard way, suffering several mid-season hiccups and losing three of their six matches before collecting the last remaining spot in the four-team finals series.

"It didn't bother us finishing fourth. We went thinking about that (past form)," said Blackwell.

"It was a bonus playing at Blacktown knowing the conditions. They were pretty tricky over both days (of the final and semi-final) with some inconsistent bounce.

"We put in a really good batting performance. The way Rachael Haynes went out and took to the spinners set the tone. Ellyse Perry had an outstanding game as well. Putting those partnerships together on a tough wicket was important.

"It has been a much tougher competition this year, not just because of the influx of overseas players, but also the effect they had had on the local players."Image Id: ~/media/4DF34A85C8374CB6AE5E779665E53788

That's 10 in a row for New South Wales! // Getty Images

South Australia captain Lauren Ebsary says her side will benefit from the experience of playing in the final.

"NSW came out at us fairly hard, but we still felt 279 was pretty chaseable," she said.

"We just couldn't quite string together partnerships.

"We have a fairly young bunch, and some talented players who are really starting to mature. We expect to be finals contenders from now on."

Read below for how the teams made the final.

Scorecard: Victoria v NSW

Scorecard: Queensland v South Australia

Dual international Ellyse Perry produced a player-of-the-match performance as the NSW Lend Lease Breakers kept their dynasty alive, defeating minor premiers Commonwealth Bank VicSpirit to reach Sunday's Women's National Cricket League final.

Only fourth in the regular season, the Breakers downed the Spirit by seven wickets in their semi-final of the limited overs competition at Sydney's Blacktown International SportsPark on Friday.

The win means they will play for a 17th title in 19 seasons and their 10th straight in the final at the same ground, where they'll meet the BreezairSA Scorpions, who beat the Konica Minolta Queensland Fire by three wickets in a bizarre semi-final.

Allrounder Perry claimed the key wicket of Victorian captain Meg Lanning before hitting a superb 61 as part of a 113-run third wicket partnership with national teammate Alex Blackwell.

Above: Learn to bowl like Ellyse Perry thanks to this Masterclass

Chasing 176 for victory, Perry came to the crease at 2-29 following the cheap dismissal of openers Alyssa Healy and Rachael Haynes and showed great patience and technique as NSW slowly gained the upper hand.

Breakers skipper Alex Blackwell had struggled to score before Perry arrived but found her groove to complete a composed 73 not out and, fittingly, hit the winning runs with 21 balls to spare.

Earlier, Victoria appeared to be in the box seat as they cruised to 3-131 before losing their last seven wickets for just 45 runs.

It was a disappointing end to a strong season for the minor premiers, who were confident of ending their decade-long title drought.

Awaiting the Breakers are South Australia who won a low-scoring affair at Sydney's Bankstown Oval.

Queensland were in desperate straits at 8-39 before captain and top-scorer Jodie Fields (29) and Haide Birkett put on 34 for the ninth wicket, helping steer them to 90.

A South Australian victory appeared a foregone conclusion but nervous batting and some terrific work with the ball by Queensland quick Holly Ferling saw them staring defeat in the face when reduced to 7-50.

But the steadying hand of English import Sarah Taylor steered the Scorpions through the treacherous middle overs as she top-scored with 21 not out.

Tailender Megan Schutt, who had earlier claimed 4-20, held up the other end and finished with nine not out from 46 balls.

Queensland will rue their sloppiness with the ball as they finished with 28 extras, 23 of which were wides.

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