Phoebe Litchfield and Tahlia Wilson hit their first WNCL centuries to set up an emphatic win at North Sydney Oval
Match Report:
ScorecardYoung guns ton up to lead NSW to victory over WA
Phoebe Litchfield and Tahlia Wilson have struck their first domestic one-day hundreds, setting up a 58-run victory for New South Wales over Western Australia at North Sydney Oval.
Litchfield, 19, and Wilson, 22, shared in a 195-run second-wicket partnership, the third biggest in the Breakers’ history, to help their side to a hefty 7-302.
No.3 Litchfield arrived at the crease in the eighth over after Australia star Alyssa Healy was trapped lbw for 14, and quickly settled, striking close to, or above a run a ball throughout her innings.
Litchfield’s breakthrough Women’s National Cricket League century came off 102 deliveries, before she was dismissed three balls later for 107, ending a superb knock that featured 15 fours and a single six.
Opener Wilson found the boundary 10 times and cleared it once on her way to 101 off 127 balls before she fell in the 43rd over.
NSW then looked to hit the accelerator as they eyed a total well above 300, Ashleigh Gardner (22 off 14) and Erin Burns (22 off 15) made useful cameos, before a run of late wickets saw the hosts finish on 7-302.
Western Australia needed opener Beth Mooney to go big in response, and it was NSW left-arm quick Lauren Cheatle – playing her first game of the season after recovering from a rib injury – who made the crucial breakthrough, bowling the Aussie star for 16.
WA captain Chloe Piparo (55 off 71) and Maddy Darke (51 off 73) shared an important 78-run second-wicket stand, but Piparo’s dismissal in the 23rd over triggered a collapse of 7-48.
Tailenders Piepa Cleary (35) and Taneale Peschel (45) defied NSW with an 80-run ninth-wicket partnership, before Maitlan Brown struck twice in an over to end WA’s innings on 244, sealing NSW's second win over the Western Australians in three days.
Cheatle was impressive in her long-awaited return, finishing with 2-27 from eight overs, while Gardner finished with 1-38 from 10 overs.
With Weber WBBL|08 to begin next week, the women’s domestic one-day competition will not resume until mid-December, when NSW travel to Tasmania and Western Australia host Queensland.