Wilson's career-best ton keeps NSW in running for WNCL final

Tahlia Wilson's career-best display with the bat has paved the way to a crucial 42-run win for New South Wales over the ACT Meteors.

Wilson's 159-ball 142 helped the Breakers put on 8-271 batting first at Cricket Central, with Anika Learoyd (81) the other major contributor in their second-last Women's National Cricket League regular season match.

NSW had been cruising at 1-218 but a fightback with the ball from the Meteors saw them lose 6-36.

That left them needing to keep the ACT under 216 to claim what could have been a critical bonus point, and a dogged 94-run sixth-wicket stand from Grace Dignam (50) and Annie Wikman (42) was enough to deny NSW.

They could not do enough to get their team over the line, however, with Sammy-Jo Johnson's 4-40 helping NSW bowl the Meteors out for 229 in 47.2 overs.

The win moved the Breakers to second on the table on 29 points, but their stay in that position may only be temporary, with South Australia - who were on 26 points heading into the final round - also in action against Western Australia.    

NSW's hopes of making the WNCL final for the first time since 2019-20 will now rest on their second match against the Meteors, at the same venue on Friday, and on the outcome of SA's final games against Western Australia. 

Wilson's innings continued a brilliant 2024-25 campaign for the 25-year-old wicketkeeper batter, who has now moved to the top of the runs table.

She has now hit 629 runs at 62.9 in 11 innings this season, with two centuries and two fifties to her name. 

Learoyd has likewise enjoyed a breakout campaign, sitting fourth on the table with 468 runs at 42.54.