NSW v WA - Battle of the analysts

Mack comes back, NSW batter Katie Mack returns to the pavilion on 96 runs while the WA team celebrate.  Image credit Andy Casely

One of the interesting things to note about the WNCL as a competition, is the pairing of matches with the same opponents facing each other twice during a round -  with only one day in between.  The second match of each match-up can be an interesting study of who has taken on the lessons from the first game, studied the opponent and found the chink of amour to exploit in the second.  After a close first game on Thursday, it was the battle of the analysts during the rest day to find what to target when Saturday rolled around.    

A stonker of a day greeted the players - Sydney’s weather had cleared, the pitch bathed in bright sunshine  - was this also going to bring about a change?  NSW won the toss, and decided to keep with the plan that had (narrowly) won the first game - putting out an unchanged side.  WA swapped Shay Manolini for Charis Bekker, a right-hand bat but left-hand spin allrounder into their side.

NSW openers Katie Mack and Tahlia Wilson put on a show for the few spectators (was everyone else at the beach) putting on 157 runs before Wilson fell at 60 runs to an excellent diving forward catch from Bhavisha Devchand off of Bekker’s bowling.  This proved an excellent backbone to the NSW batting total, and gave the rest of the batters freedom to play at run-a-ball with the knowledge that there were ample wickets yet to come.  So though wickets fell (notably Mack for 96 lbw by Peschel) the runs kept going up, with the majority of the batters contributing well.  By 50 overs NSW had 301 runs on the board - just passing their total of 298 from Thursday’s game.  The eight wickets taken had included 2 from Amy Edgar, who had also put the most pressure on NSW, bowling 30 dot balls in her 10 overs.  It would seem that though WA had found a way to take wickets they hadn’t taken them quickly enough, was NSW going to take advantage of this?

Short answer, yes they were.  NSW proceeded to execute a masterclass in working out the WA batters weak spots.  Lauren Cheatle’s captaincy and bowling were en point, not only taking early wickets and being on a hat trick in the 6th over, but also setting attacking fields with a tailored gameplan for each weary WA batter as they came to the crease, and soon marched back.  This was especially the case when Sam Bates came on to bowl - she proceeded to work her way steadily taking the wickets of WA’s middle order - disrupting partnerships in turn with her four wickets in her 10 over spell, only conceding 26 runs.   WA opening batter Maddy Darke fought valiantly, but had to watch from the other end as each of her batting partners were dismissed, she finished not out on 75, with WA reaching 158 all up.  

NSW will be happy with the big win, which also landed them a bonus point in the chase for top of the table.  Bates was awarded player of the match, and NSW breakers march forward undefeated into the big break before they next appear in round 4 of the WNCL.  They are looking hard to beat. 

Helen (Crystallised Cricket) is a writer based in Dharug and Gundagarra country, and here is writing about a game played on Dharug country. She acknowledges the traditional owners of the lands that she writes from.