Perry heroics not enough as Litchfield stars in NSW win

A brilliant Ellyse Perry century was not enough for Victoria to pull off a miraculous run chase at Junction Oval, as NSW Breakers claimed a 27-run (DLS) victory thanks to a breakthrough innings from young gun Phoebe Litchfield.

Litchfield hit 88 runs from just 72 deliveries – her best in the domestic 50-over competition – as Ashleigh Gardner (57 from 56) and Tahlia Wilson (54 from 51) also struck half-centuries to help NSW to 7-300 from 46 overs during an innings twice interrupted by rain.

Needing a revised total of 256 from 35 overs after a rain delay, the hefty total proved beyond Victoria's reach despite the best efforts of Perry, who was dismissed in the final over for 120 from 94 as her side finished on 9-229.

Victoria captain Perry elected to send NSW into bat under cloudy skies after early rain delayed play by 30 minutes, and she struck the early blow, taking a return catch to remove Alyssa Healy without scoring.

Rachael Haynes (24 off 41) could not back-up her strong display from Friday's tournament opener, but the Victorian attack struggled to find consistent wickets, with key partnerships involving Wilson, Gardner, Litchfield and Erin Burns (31 off 23) keeping the Breakers on top.

Litchfield passed her previous best WNCL score of 82 and looked on track for a breakthrough century, but was forced to depart when she holed out off the bowling of left-arm spinner Sam Bates.

A sudden storm forced players from the field – after they first helped the ground staff battle strong winds to put the covers on the pitch – after 46 overs, effectively ending the NSW innings.

When play resumed, Victoria's cause was not helped when opener Rhiann O'Donnell (12) fell to the bowling of Stella Campbell, who returned to the NSW XI after missing Friday's game due to a COVID exposure and finished with figures of 2-50.

Amy Vine, who was not part of the Victoria XI named at the toss but who was a late inclusion after opener Makinley Blows injured her pectoral muscle during the warm-up, was forced to depart for five thanks to a superb direct hit from Burns.

Annabel Sutherland (0) became Campbell's second victim and Kim Garth (11) was removed by Hannah Darlington (2-37), leaving Victoria in serious trouble at 4-61.

With the required run rate beyond 10, Perry worked through the gears, bringing up a half-century from 53 deliveries.

Working in tandem with the in-form Faltum, who was coming off a career-best 88 not out, the pair put on a 100-run stand from 78 deliveries, but the large total and early wickets meant victory remained an unlikely prospect.

Perry's century came off 87 deliveries with 2.3 overs remaining and while the target was beyond reach, she finished with a flourish, clearing the boundary four times before falling in the final over.

Faltum's excellent start to the season continued as she fell just short of a second consecutive fifty, scoring a 54-ball 49.

The Breakers head back to Sydney and into the Christmas break with eight points to their name after a successful start to the season, and will return to action against ACT Meteors in Canberra on January 6.

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes v England

Jan 27-30: Test match, Manuka Oval

Feb 4: First T20, North Sydney Oval

Feb 6: Second T20, North Sydney Oval

Feb 10: Third T20, Adelaide Oval

Feb 13: First ODI, Adelaide Oval

Feb 16: Second ODI, Junction Oval

Feb 19: Third ODI, Junction Oval