WNCL Wrap: Molineux stars for Vics, WA secure top spot

A brilliant all-round performance from Sophie Molineux has steered Victoria to a convincing five-wicket win against Tasmania in Hobart.

After Victoria captain Meg Lanning won the toss and chose to bowl first, Molineux’s 3-33 from her 9.5 overs headlined an outstanding performance from the visitors with the ball and in the field.

View the full scorecard HERE

The Tasmanians had a promising start through openers Hollie Armitage and Meg Phillips in a 70-run partnership. However, both were unable to build on their starts, dismissed inside the first 20 overs.

Number three batter Nicola Carey came to the crease to add an admirable 73 runs from 86 balls, keeping the Tasmanian innings moving, despite regular wickets falling around her.

Carey was eventually run out by Lanning in the penultimate over, and the Tasmanians were all out for 198 with a ball remaining.

Also impressive for Victoria was Molly Strano, who claimed 2-36 from her 10 overs, as well as recent Australia T20 World Cup squad call-up Annabel Sutherland who finished her nine overs with 1-31.

In reply, a commanding 91-run stand between Victoria openers Elyse Villani and Molineux immediately took the Tasmanians to task, but allrounder Phillips was able to remove Villani for 44 in the 21st over, before striking with the crucial wicket of captain Lanning for 4 in her very next over.

However, Molineux was joined by allrounder Ellyse Perry and together, the two put on a further 57 runs.

Phillips was able to strike for a third time, dismissing Molineux for 80 runs in the 37th over.

However, the experience of Perry shone through and she finished with an unbeaten 44 runs to steer the Victorians home to a five-wicket win with four overs to spare.

The two teams will meet again at the same venue in Hobart on Thursday.

Queensland overcome Meteors at Manuka

A day after the Queensland Fire had their training session at Manuka Oval interrupted by an extreme downpour of hail, they secured a hard-fought, 60-run win against the ACT Meteors.

View the full scorecard HERE

Defending 179 after Queensland captain Kirby Short won the toss and elected to bat first, fast bowler Holly Ferling put in a Player-of-the-Match performance, claiming 3-28 from her 10 overs, including the scalps of the two Meteors openers, Katie Mack and Erica Kershaw.

The Ferling-led Queensland attack prevented the Meteors batters from adding any real traction to their chase, with Claire Koski the sole contributor with her 67-ball 44.

The fall of Koski’s wicket at the hands of Ferling in the 30th over essentially spelled game over for the Meteors, the remaining two wickets falling in quick succession, and they were all out for 119, 60 runs short of their target in the 34th over.

Earlier, the Queensland batters were having a similarly difficult time settling into the crease, with their top three batters Kirby Short (16), Beth Mooney (25) and Laura Harris (22) all dismissed within the first 10 overs.

In trouble at 8-107 after 28 overs, number seven batter Delissa Kimmince (27 from 55) and number nine Jemma Barsby (31 not out from 69) dug in for a crucial 35-run stand before Ferling and Barsby added another 37 runs.

In the end, it was Barsby’s efforts at number nine to propel Queensland to a defendable total that enabled the visitors to come away with a win.

Queensland Fire will return to Manuka Oval on Wednesday with a match against ladder leaders, the NSW Breakers, while the ACT Meteors will face the Breakers at the same venue on Thursday.

Bolton stars as WA leave Scorpions winless

Experienced campaigner Nicole Bolton led the way with bat and ball for Western Australia as they handed the South Australia Scorpions a crippling 102-run defeat at the WACA Ground.

View the full scorecard HERE

Bolton was named player of the match for her 94 runs and three wickets and WA reach the top of the WNCL ladder, while the Scorpions remain winless in this season's WNCL.

Batting first, WA openers Chloe Piparo (42) and Ashley Day (45) set a solid platform for their side with a 71-run opening stand.

Number four batter Bolton then came to the crease in the 15th over to keep the scoreboard ticking for the hosts. She struck 11 fours during her 89-ball 94, eventually dismissed by Tahlia McGrath in the 48th over.

McGrath (4-40) and Amanda-Jade Wellington (4-31) did the bulk of the damage for the Scorpions, but WA were still able to reach a competitive total of 9-259 from their fifty overs.

The Scorpions' chase never really got going, with plenty of bowling pressure from the hosts preventing any meaningful partnerships.

Piepa Clearly removed South Australia opener Tahlia McGrath for a duck in the first over, before Bridget Patterson (23) and Eliza Doddridge (14) were able to steady the ship somewhat, combining for a 41-run partnership.

The WA bowlers continued to pile on the pressure, with SA managing just nine runs from the next five overs following Doddridge's dismissal.

Annie O'Neil (0) and Tegan McPharlin (9) both fell cheaply but Wellington toiled hard, striking four boundaries as part of a 38-ball 32.

Schutt (19 not out) and Darcie Brown (15) showed fighting spirit, combining for a 39-run partnership for the final wicket, Brown was eventually bowled by Cleary in the 41st over and SA was all out for 157, falling short by 102 runs.

WA will host the Scorpions again at the WACA Ground on Thursday.

2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

Warm-ups

February 15: Australia v West Indies, Allan Border Field

February 18: Australia v South Africa, Karen Rolton Oval

Tournament

February 21:Australia v India, Sydney Showgrounds

February 24: Australia v Sri Lanka, WACA Ground

February 27: Australia v Bangladesh, Manuka Oval 

March 2: Australia v New Zealand, Junction Oval

March 5: Semi-final 1 & Semi-final 2, SCG

March 8: Final, MCG

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE

* All matches will be broadcast on Fox Cricket and Kayo, while Australia’s matches will also be broadcast on the Nine Network