The ongoing 29th edition of the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL), Australia’s premier domestic competition, is nearing its final stages. In match 31, New South Wales Breakers will take on South Australia Scorpions at Cricket Central, Sydney Olympic Park, at 4:30 AM IST.
New South Wales Breakers have secured three wins in their last five matches but suffered a setback in their previous outing against Western Australia. Meanwhile, South Australia Scoring have won only two of their last five games and are coming off a loss against Queensland Fire.
Squads:
New South Wales Breakers:
Georgia Adams (C), Sam Bates, Caoimhe Bray, Maitlan Brown, Lauren Cheatle (VC), Sarah Coyte, Hannah Darlington, Elsa Hunter, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Anika Learoyd, Claire Moore, Frankie Nicklin, Tahlia Wilson
South Australia Scorpions:
Bridget Patterson (C), Hollie Armitage, Emma de Broughe, Emmerson Filsell, Ellie Johnston, Eleanor Larosa, Courtney Neale, Annie O’Neil, Maddie Penna, Alex Price, Megan Schutt, Courtney Webb, Amanda-Jade Wellington
Players to watch out:
Tahlia Wilson:
The 25-year-old keeper-batter has been a consistent performer in the WBBL for Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers across seven seasons, amassing 868 runs with a top score of 83*. In the ongoing WNCL, she has scored 313 runs in 8 matches, with the highest score of 97.
Sam Bates:
A 29-year-old left-arm orthodox spinner with extensive WBBL experience, having played 129 matches for Sydney Thunder and claimed 120 wickets, including the best of 4/21. In this tournament, she has 11 wickets from 8 matches, with a best of 2/25.
Hollie Armitage:
A 27-year-old all-rounder, currently sixth on the tournament’s top run-scorers list. She has 332 runs from just 6 matches, averaging 55.33, with the best score of 100. Hollie has consistently been amongst the runs lately and in her recent WNCL outings registered scores of 55 and 100.
Megan Schutt:
A seasoned campaigner with 99 ODIs for Australia, where she has picked up 135 wickets, including the best of 5/19. Schutt will be playing her first match of the tournament but enters in red-hot form, having taken 8 wickets in 3 matches against India and 4 wickets against England recently.
Pitch:
The pitch at Cricket Central favors batters, offering good bounce and carry. Pacers get early movement, while spinners may have a role later. With an average first-innings score of 227, teams winning the toss usually opt to bat first.
Weather:
Sydney will experience a bright, sunny day with temperatures around 29°C, moderate winds, and 71% humidity. With clear skies, a full game is expected.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Tahlia Wilson, Bridget Patterson, Courtney Webb, Anika Learoyd, Georgia Adams, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Maddie Penna, Hannah Darlington, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Sam Bates, Megan Schutt
Match details:
Date: February 7, 2025
Time: 4:30 AM IST
Venue: Cricket Central, Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney
Live Streaming: Available on cricket.com.au and Kayo Sports.
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