Controlling the controllable key for Cup hopeful

Heartbreak, anger… now enjoyment.

It’s been a rollercoaster summer for Victoria opener Elyse Villani, one that started from the low-point of being axed from Australia’s limited-overs squad in September.

At the time, the 30-year-old said she was heartbroken to lose her spot in the national side, later admitting she had been forced to park that disappointment and anger as she refocused on her new role as Melbourne Stars captain.

Now, however, Villani says she can barely be prised from the nets at Junction Oval after rediscovering her cricket happy place – enjoyment that was plain to see on Tuesday when the Victorian opener struck a match-winning 99 against Western Australia.

Whether that performance, coupled with outstanding form for Australia A in last month’s T20 series against India A, will be enough to earn Villani an international recall for the upcoming T20 World Cup remains to be seen.

She will learn her fate soon enough – Australia’s selectors will soon sit down to determine their 15-player group for the tournament beginning next month – but the experienced batter knows better than to dwell on such matters.

"Not really," Villani said on Tuesday when asked if national selection was playing on her mind. "That’s something I can’t control, and I’ve been working really hard on focusing on what I can control.

"I’m just really enjoying batting at the moment and spending a lot of time in the nets.

"I feel really sorry for (Victoria assistant coach) Dulip Samaraweera, I’ve probably thrown his shoulder out but I’m just really enjoying batting at the moment and being around the Vic girls.

"I’m having a lot of fun and I think that’s the most important thing.

"I always like to bat but I’ve really being enjoying it the second half of this season, I feel like I’ve gotten to where I want to get to.

"The first half of this season was really disappointing personally, and I just feel like I’m now batting the way I want to."

A false shot on 99 denied Villani a Women’s National Cricket League century on Tuesday, but it wasn’t the failure to reach a milestone that bothered the experienced batter most.

"I would have liked to have launched at the end," Villani said.

"I felt we got ourselves into a strong position and if I’d stayed out there I feel like we could have pushed a total past 280."

Villani’s contribution was just one of many good news stories for the Victorians at Junction Oval on Tuesday, as the star-studded squad cruised to a 117-run win over Western Australia.

Ellyse Perry made her long-awaited Victorian debut, while young gun allrounder Sophie Molineux returned to cricket after stepping away from the game to focus on her mental health in November.

"Sophie is a huge part of the squad and it’s awesome to see her back around the group and the best thing about it is she’s got a smile on her face and she seems to be enjoying it," Villani said of Molineux.

"We all love Sophie as a person first and to see her back out on the cricket field, that’s amazing to see."

Another young talent who could well find herself donning the green and gold in the near future, 18-year-old allrounder Annabel Sutherland, starred with a 37-ball 43 before collecting three wickets.

Australia A coach Leah Poulton called out Sutherland as a player who "is not far off" an international call-up last month, and Villani agreed.

"I think Belsy is going to have a long career with Australia," Villani said.

"When that starts, I’m not sure, but it’s inevitable I think, everyone knows that.

"When it does start, I think she’ll have a really long career and I think she’ll be a great allrounder for Australia for many years to come.

"The best thing about her is she’s a great kid, she comes from a great family and she’s got a great head on her shoulders."

Boasting one of the more enviable squads in the WNCL – with Villani, Perry, Molineux and Sutherland joined by Australian captain Meg Lanning and leg-spinner Georgia Wareham - Victoria will hope to make it back-to-back wins over Western Australia when the sides meet again at Junction Oval on Thursday.

"It’s pretty amazing to see the names that are representing Victoria at the moment and to see the strength (in the team)," Villani said.

"We’re really enjoying each other’s company and we all love representing the Big V and I think you can see that out there."