Super Sophies lead Vics to win over reigning champs

Sophie Molineux and Sophie Day have produced career-best efforts to lead Victoria to their first win of the Women’s National Cricket League season, upsetting reigning champions Tasmania by 46 runs.

Molineux's 113 laid the foundation for Victoria's 9-281, supported by Annabel Sutherland, whose outstanding season continued with a 76-ball 68.

Elyse Villani top-scored for Tasmania with 73 in reply, but left-arm spinner Day's first five-wicket haul turned the tables on the Tigers, who were bowled out for 235.

Day finished with 5-41, while Ellyse Perry (2-25) and Molineux (2-45) were the other wicket takers.

For 25 overs, Tasmania's chase progressed in largely the same fashion as their successful pursuit of 280 against Victoria on Tuesday, as Carey joined Villani in the middle after opener Rachael Trenaman (17) hit a simple return catch to Molineux.

Villani, celebrating her 33rd birthday, was dropped on 32 and seized her chance as she passed fifty for the second time in as many matches.

But she only managed two more runs than the 71 she hit on Tuesday, her innings ending courtesy of Day on 73.

Perry removed Heather Graham cheaply (4), before Day put paid to Naomi Stalenberg (1) and South African star Lizelle Lee (9) in quick succession.

Carey, the unbeaten century-maker from earlier in the week, loomed as key for Tasmania, but again the pressure build by Day and fellow left-armer Molineux reaped rewards, with the Australia allrounder holing out to Sutherland – who took an excellent catch diving forward – for a 47-ball 43.

With Tasmania 6-165 and needing another 117 from 105 balls for their second win of the season, Sasha Moloney (35) and Emma Manix-Geeves (31) kept the Tigers' hopes alive.

But when Day claimed her fifth to remove Moloney, and Perry and Molineux combined to dismiss Manix-Geeves, Victoria quickly closed in on victory, with Tasmania bowled out for 235 in 43.5 overs.

Earlier, Molineux and Perry laid a strong foundation for Victoria after the hosts were sent in by Tasmania captain Villani.

Molineux had a new opening partner with Sophie Reid brought into the XI in place of Makinley Blows, and Perry arrived in the middle in the sixth over when Reid was bowled by Graham on 13.

Pouncing on some loose bowling from Tasmania, Perry and Molineux put on 92 for the second wicket, their stand only broken when Sarah Coyte struck with her first ball of the match, bowling Perry for 35.

Molineux, who missed the entire 2021-22 domestic one-day season through injury and who is fighting to earn her spot back in the Australian squad, brought up her sixth WNCL fifty from 54 deliveries.

Sutherland picked up where she left off on Tuesday, quickly settling in to support her captain as Molineux moved towards her century.

There were no nervous nineties as Molineux brought up triple figures from 102 balls with a lofted shot over mid-on, removing her helmet and raising her bat for the first time at senior domestic level.

Sutherland's dismissal in the 43rd over, bowled by Moloney, almost came as a surprise, such had been the ease with which she had cruised to 68, and Molineux's innings came to an end on 113 two overs later.

At 2-243 in the 43rd over, Victoria had been on track for a total above 300, but the twin dismissals of Sutherland and Molineux instead triggered a significant collapse as the Tasmania bowlers staged a fightback.

Nicole Faltum (10), Kim Garth (7), Tess Flintoff (3), Day (2) and Ella Hayward (4) all departed in quick succession as Victoria lost 7-38 to finish on 9-281.

The WNCL season will resume in mid-December, following Weber WBBL|08.