South Australia see off WA in high-scoring one-day thriller

Maddy Darke’s first one-day domestic century was not enough for Western Australia, as they fell six runs short against South Australia in a high-scoring Women’s National Cricket League thriller at the WACA Ground.

Bridget Patterson (152 off 144) and Josie Dooley (93no off 133) put on the highest partnership for any wicket in Scorpions’ history – and the fourth highest ever in the WNCL – as their 262-run stand led South Australia to a daunting 5-297.

Needing to pull off the highest chase in the competition’s history, WA opener Darke (133 off 142) made the most of her chance at the top of the order with Aussie star Beth Mooney unavailable, stroking her first one-day century.

But her efforts were not enough, and just two days after the same sides met in an historic first WNCL super over, Western Australia were restricted to 9-291.

The win moved South Australia within half a point of ladder leaders Tasmania and Queensland, and 8.5 points clear of fourth-ranked WA.  

Darke and Chloe Piparo produced a 168-run opening stand of their own to keep Western Australia right on track with the required run rate; it took stand-in skipper Jemma Barsby to finally break their partnership when she had Piparo caught behind for 67 in the 30th over.

But Darke carried on and despite a few nervous moments in the nineties, the 21-year-old ‘keeper-batter – who moved to WA from her native NSW in 2021 to chase opportunity behind the stumps – held her nerve to reach her first WNCL century off 116 balls.

With the milestone achieved, Darke upped the ante alongside Lisa Griffith (20) and Mathilda Carmichael (13), setting up a thrilling finish with 63 runs required off the last 10.

Leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington then intervened with two wickets in an over, including the key scalp of Darke, who was bowled for 133 with her side still 48 runs shy of victory.

The Scorpions saw off Ashley Day (9), Lilly Mills (2) and Taneale Peschel (4) in quick succession, and when Amy Edgar departed for a quickfire 18 off 15, the WA tail could not replicate their heroics of Wednesday’s tied game, finishing six runs shy of their target.

Wellington, Jemma Barsby and Anesu Mushangwe led the way with two wickets apiece for a South Australia attack missing the star power of Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown and Tahlia McGrath.

Earlier, Patterson and Dooley’s epic stand surpassed South Australia’s previous best partnership of 255 put on by Karen Rolton and Shelley Nitschke against the ACT in 2009.

After opener Emma de Broughe (15) was removed by Piepa Cleary in the fourth over, Dooley joined Patterson and the pair occupied the crease together for the next 43 overs, with Western Australia searching fruitlessly for a breakthrough.

Losing Piepa Cleary to a bicep injury five overs into her spell made that task even harder, with captain Chloe Piparo forced to turn to other options.

Patterson’s fifty came off 72 deliveries before she escalated, bringing up her sixth WNCL century from 112 balls.

There was no stopping the right-hander, as her next 50 runs came off just 29 balls; she found the boundary 24 times in total before she was finally caught in the deep in the 47th over.

Patterson’s 152 was the second highest individual score by a South Australian in the WNCL, behind Rolton’s 173 in 1998.

A tiring Dooley was denied a second one-day century as the runs dried up and wickets fell at the other end in the final two overs, she was left unbeaten on 93 as the Scorpions posted a hefty 5-297.

South Australia are next in action against New South Wales at Karen Rolton Oval on January 19, while Western Australia have the bye next round, with their next outing against Victoria at Junction Oval on February 8.