WA preview: Ruthlessness key for further growth

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Becky Grundy says consistency, and a touch of ruthlessness, are what stands between her Western Australia squad and a return to the top end of the Women’s National Cricket League table this season.

WA finished fourth last season with six wins from 12 games, though are tracking upwards after languishing on the bottom of the table the two previous years.

The additions of two experienced batters to their squad, alongside a young spinner, will also help round out a group that is likely to be without the services of Aussie stars Beth Mooney and Alana King for most, if not all, of the season. 

"It’s our consistency," Grundy told cricket.com.au when asked where her team needed to improve to make the top two. 

"We looked at all the games (last season) and felt like we'd got ourselves in a winning position in 10 of the 12 games, and then to only come away with six wins was disappointing, to be honest.

"We went into the last four games knowing that probably winning two of them would have secured us a final, and unfortunately, we weren't able to do that. 

"That's growth in our group that we're talking about finals now, where we haven't necessarily in the last couple of years."

"Now it's the ability to be consistent and ruthless in those winning moments and get us over the line." 

Experienced batter Mikayla Hinkley has made the move west chasing greater opportunities, while Bhavi Devchand, who was previously on WA’s list between 2011-12 and 2018-19, and who last played WNCL for Victoria in 2021, made an irresistible case for a return to professional cricket after a standout premier season in 2023-24.

Shay Manolini, a 19-year-old leg-spinner who debuted for WA last summer, has earned her first full contract.

But in a blow to WA’s bowling stocks, pace bowler Piepa Cleary will miss the entire season after rupturing her ACL at training in early September.

"Hopefully the couple of additions to our squad will help bolster (us) ... I really do feel like we're not far off with the group that we've pulled together now," Grundy continued.

Western Australia 2024-25 squad: Chloe Ainsworth, Charis Bekker, Zoe Britcliffe, Mathilda Carmichael, Piepa Cleary, Maddy Darke, Bhavi Devchand, Amy Edgar, Lisa Griffith, Mikayla Hinkley, Alana King*, Shay Manolini, Lilly Mills, Beth Mooney*, Taneale Peschel, Chloe Piparo

Ins: Bhavi Devchand, Mikayla Hinkley (Queensland), Shay Manolini

Outs: Ashley Day, Georgia Wyllie, and Poppy Stockwell (all delisted)

* Cricket Australia contract

Possible round one XI (from fit, available players): Chloe Piparo (c), Maddy Darke (wk), Amy Edgar, Mathilda Carmichael, Mikayla Hinkley, Piepa Cleary, Chloe Ainsworth, Lilly Mills, Taneale Peschel, Zoe Britcliffe, Charis Bekker 

Last year's WNCL result: Fourth (six wins, six losses)

Aussie player availability: Australia have a packed summer, starting with the T20Is against New Zealand in September which is followed by the T20 World Cup. ODI series against India and Zealand follow the WBBL in December, while January will feature the multi-format Ashes. Australia do have a break in February when the final two WNCL rounds will be played, but the Women’s Premier League in India is likely to be held in that window, potentially featuring Mooney and King.

Inside word with head coach Becky Grundy 

The pre-season

"We got everyone together (in early) June and we went on a team camp ... which had some physical challenges and some mental skills thrown in without talking cricket, which is always nice to be able to connect away from wearing kit. 

We got out on turf around August, and we've just started pre-season games (at the start of September). It's been a slightly different preseason because we've had people coming in and out of the set-up, and it's probably the first year that we've really experienced it to this level and it's a taste to where it's going. 

"I think the formal pre-season is not going to be (the same) in the coming years, with all these different opportunities for players (like the T20 Max)."

Injury update

"I'm hopeful that come round one, we'll have a near full squad to pick. We've had Chloe Ainsworth become fit coming off a little bit of a stress (fracture) in her foot. So she's flying now, and Charis Bekker had a long-term injury last year that she's bounced back from."

* Since this interview, pace bowler Piepa Cleary has been ruled out for the season after rupturing her ACL

Player to watch

"I'm really excited to see Mikayla (Hinkley) coming over and getting that opportunity with us. She probably fought for opportunity when she was in Queensland, so her being able to really cement a role will no doubt help confidence-wise."

Young guns

"It's probably hard to go past Chloe Ainsworth. I think everyone's aware of her potential. She's been fit and firing now for a few weeks, so it's been nice for her to just think about cricket and not rehab. We've got a really good couple of really good young spinners in Shay Manolini and Charis Bekker."

Areas for improvement

"It's the ability to be consistent and ruthless in those winning moments and get us over the line. Hopefully a couple of additions to our squad will help bolster that."

Team to beat

"It’s getting tougher and tougher to call. South Australia were probably disappointed with where they finished last year for the squad that they've pulled together. Victoria without their Aussie players are really starting to come into their own too, so it's hard to call, but I'd be surprised if Tassie aren’t towards the top of the table again."