Bolton, Piparo guide Western Australia to comfortable win

Half-centuries from Nicole Bolton and Chloe Piparo guided Western Australia to a five-wicket win over Queensland in the opening match of the Women’s National Cricket League at South District Cricket Club in Brisbane on Saturday (September 21). The pair shared a 156-run stand for the third wicket to lay the foundation in their team’s pursuit of 190.

Having elected to bowl first, the visitors’ bowlers took full advantage of the morning conditions ripping through Queensland’s top order to leave them reeling at 28 for 4 in 7 overs. Sophie Devine and Taneale Peschel picked up two wickets each, removing Grace Harris, Kirby Short, Laura Harris and Charli Knott all for single digit scores.

Georgia Redmayne and Mikayla Hinkley, both making their debut for Queensland, tried to resurrect the innings with a patient 41-run stand. However, Emma King stepped in to push the hosts further on to the back foot, when she dismissed Redmayne for 29. The wicket of Hinkley (34) a few overs later saw Queensland suffer another mini collapse. They crashed to 104 for 8 in 32.3 overs.

With her team in a dire situation, Jemma Barsby, the off-spinning allrounder, chose to counter attack. Alongside Georgia Prestwidge, she put the Western Australia bowlers under pressure stitching together a 75-run stand in just 13.3 overs.

Barsby collected nine boundaries on her way to a 70-ball 63 while Prestwidge contributed with 20 off 28 balls. Their association helped lift Queensland to a total of 189 in 47 overs.

Devine and Pescel picked up three wickets each while King was the most economical bowler on display with 2 for 27.

Devine’s good day didn’t last any longer than the first innings. The New Zealand allrounder was dismissed off her very first ball— caught off Sammy-Jo Johnson. Amy Edgar followed in her footsteps, also being dismissed for a duck to leave Western Australia at 12 for 2 in 2.2 overs.

It was at that juncture that the pair of Piparo and Bolton joined forces and took their team out of the woods. While Piparo played the lead role in the partnership, Bolton was happy to simply feed her the strike. Western Australia’s captain hit 10 boundaries on her way to 76 before she became Johnson’s second wicket of the day. Soon enough, Bolton too was dismissed by Barsby for a 106-ball 77.

Although Emma Inglis' wicket came soon after, it was too little too late for the hosts as Ashley Day and Megan Banting polished off the remaining runs to take Western Australia home in 43.1 overs.

 

Breif Scores: Queensland 189 in 17 overs (Jemma Barsby 63, Mikayala Hinkley 34; Sophie Devine 3-35, Taneale Peschel 3-48) lost to Western Australia 191/5 in 43.1 overs (Nicole Bolton 77, Chloe Piparo 76; Sammy-Jo Johnson 3-44) by five wickets. PoM: Nicole Bolton.