WA suffer consecutive final-over WNCL defeats

Western Australia have suffered back-to-back losses in the Women’s National Cricket League, losing to Victoria in a pair of close encounters at CitiPower Centre this week.

Game one on Monday saw WA lose by two wickets with three balls to spare in a 47-over match shortened due to rain.  
 
It was a landmark day for skipper Chloe Piparo, who became just the third woman from WA to play 100 WNCL games after state legends Avril Fahey and Angele Gray.  
Sent into bat by Victorian skipper Nicole Faltum, Piparo (21) and fellow opener Maddy Darke (34) got the visitors' day off to the perfect start, reaching 59 in the first 10 overs. 
 
The wicket of Darke brought about a batting collapse of 3-8 in 22 balls, with Tess Flintoff and Georgia Prestwidge dismissing Piparo, Darke and Bhavi Devchand in quick succession as the home side gained the momentum. 
 
Mathilda Carmichael (64) and Mikayla Hinkley (29) were able to steady the innings during the middle overs with a 56-run partnership for the fourth wicket, before Prestwidge removed Hinkley. 

Carmichael remained calm and composed at the other end as wickets started to fall around her, striking five boundaries in her 85-ball stay while guiding WA towards a competitive total. 

Late-order cameos from Charis Bekker (21*), Lilly Mills (20) and Zoe Britcliffe (16*) as well as Carmichael’s half-century saw WA post 8-229.  

Meg Lanning (49), Faltum (39) and Ella Hayward (42) set about chasing the total down in quick time as Victoria reached 1-140 after 22 overs, before WA fought back.  

Seamer Zoe Britcliffe (4-32 off nine) took the key wickets of Lanning and Hayward in consecutive overs in a brilliant burst, while offspinner Lilly Mills (2-34 off nine) bowled tightly at the other end to put the pressure back on the home side. 

WA looked to be in pole position when Naomi Dattani (1-38 off nine) removed the dangerous Tess Flintoff (16) with Victoria still requiring a further 27 runs for victory, but bowlers Sophie Day (15 not out) and Jas Nevins (10no) ensured the home side came out on top by two wickets in a close affair. 

Game Two followed a similar pattern to the first encounter, with WA once again sent into bat. 

Piparo (77) and Darke (24) enjoyed another quick start, racing to 46 inside seven overs before Darke edged behind to Prestwidge. 

Young allrounder Rebecca McGrath (1) also fell to Prestwidge a short time later, leaving WA at 2-58 when Carmichael strode out to the middle. 

Carmichael (22) and Piparo used all their experience to rebuild the innings, putting on 60 before the former holed out to mid-on trying to take on the spin of Hayward. 

Piparo continued on her merry way to post her second fifty-plus score of the season, hitting nine boundaries as she set about leading WA towards a strong position.  

Once Piparo fell for 77 with the score on 163 in the 34th over, Hinkley (83) and Dattani (30) then combined for an important 76-run stand from 12 overs including 10 boundaries to lift their team’s total to 8-275.  

WA then carried the momentum into the bowling innings, with Zoe Britcliffe (3-65) taking the early wicket of Faltum. 

Meg Lanning (95) and Olivia Henry (38) threatened to take the game away, putting on a run-a-ball 119 for the third wicket before Dattani (1-46) off ten) trapped Henry LBW. 

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals for Victoria, with Britcliffe and Amy Edgar (3-36) able to strike during the middle overs to leave the hosts at 6-176 with 19 overs remaining. 
 
Flintoff (77no), however, kept her side in the contest before clinching the nail-biting one-wicket win alongside Milly Illingworth (6no) with just two deliveries to spare. 
 
The pair of defeats leaves WA with one win from their eight matches ahead of contests against ACT at EPC Solar Park on Friday 7 and Sunday 9 February.