Victoria spins their way to first win of the season

Victoria have secured their first win of the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL) season with a comfortable 64-run victory over the Queensland Fire in Canberra.

Spinners Sam Bates and Ella Hayward did the damage, claiming five and three wickets respectively, to help the Vics defend an under-par total of 181 with ease.

Having opted to bat first after winning the toss, Courtney Sippel's pace troubled Victoria early, with the opening bowler claiming the first two wickets courtesy of well-directed short balls.

Kim Garth made her way to the crease and saw herself in, however was out caught behind off spinner Charli Knott to leave the Vics in a precarious position at 3-53.

Opener Makinley Blows, who had been patient and remained calm despite the regular wickets falling around her, was joined by captain Nicole Faltum as the two set about building a substantial total.

Queensland's bowlers made scoring difficult as Victoria reached 3-97 with just 15 overs remaining, however both batters were beginning to find the boundary.

But the return of Sippel brought all Faltum's hard work undone as she offered a simple chance to Laura Harris to depart for 25, while Anna Lanning came and went very next ball with Victoria struggling again at 5-112.

Blows was the Vics' last hope of posting a competitive total and began to lift her scoring rate as the innings reached its 40th over.

Having brought up her half century with a crisply struck slog sweep to the boundary, the young opener took a further 11 runs off one Grace Parsons over and looked primed to boost Victoria's score until she was out soon after for a well-made 64.

It saw the Vics finish 8-180 off their 50 overs with Sippel the star for the Fire with figures of 4-47, while Knott and Georgia Prestwidge claimed two wickets each.

Sam Bates began Victoria's defence superbly by bowling Georgia Voll in her third over, before she deceived Knott to have her stumped for 21 as Queensland reached 2-40 after 12 overs.

Ella Hayward replaced Bates and struck immediately when she trapped Mikayla Hinkley in front for just two, and then claimed the massive wicket of Harris for one, to leave Queensland reeling at 4-49.

Ellie Johnston, who had been watching wickets tumble down the other end, took it upon herself to lead the fightback, striking some lusty blows to keep the Fire up with the run rate.

But when she was found short of her ground for 34 attempting a second run, Victoria regained the ascendancy and never let it go, with Hayward knocking over Sippel and securing her third wicket shortly after.

It was a long way back for Queensland from there, as Bates took the final three wickets to bowl them out for 116, handing her figures of 5-29.

With just two matches remaining for their season, Victoria appears unlikely to make the final, however the young side that is missing a host of stars due to the Women's ODI World Cup in New Zealand will take plenty of confidence out of today's win.

Queensland remain in the hunt for a top two finish but will need to rectify their form quickly, starting on Sunday when they face the ACT Meteors who currently sit one spot below them in fifth on the same number of points.