Tigers captain, Sasha Moloney, won the toss and sent the visitor into bat, a decision that proved fruitful early. The last team to get their 2021 WNCL campaign underway and with it being almost 18 months since they last played a 50-over match, Western Australia were slow off the mark. Last season’s highest run scorer, Nicole Bolton, was the first wicket to fall. Dismissed for just three runs, Western Australia had just 11 runs on the ball in the ninth over.
WA captain, Chloe Piparo, rallied hard, making a hard-fought half century, before being bowled by her former teammate in Heather Graham for an even 50. Piepa Cleary also boosted the visitors’ run rate in the back half of the innings, finishing unbeaten on 42, but with the exception of Megan Banting (13) and Alana King (18), these were the only two players to reach double figures.
Western Australian finished their allotted 50 overs with the bat on 8-170. Belinda Vakawera and Nicola Carey were the best with the ball for the home side, finishing with two wickets apiece.
When the Tigers came out to bat, it looked like a completely different pitch to what Western Australia had to navigate in the first innings, with openers Moloney and Rachel Priest finding the boundary with ease. Priest was trapped lbw by West Australia debutant Alana King for a run-a-ball 33, but when Carey replaced her at the crease, she picked up where her vice captain had left off. Together with Moloney, the pair put on 112 runs for the partnership, guiding the Tigers to victory – with a bonus point – in just 31.3 overs.
Carey finished unbeaten on 50 off just 56 balls, whilst Moloney was named Player of the Match for her 77* off 101.
The Tigers not only continued their perfect start to the season – with three wins from as many matches – but today’s win with a bonus point sees them firmly atop the WNCL standings.
Both teams will now have a day off tomorrow, before they meet again at Kingston Twin Ovals on Friday.