On Sunday, February 9, 2025, at Junction Oval in Melbourne, Victoria and Queensland Fire will face-off in match no. 36 of the Women’s National Cricket League 2024-25. With 36 points, Queensland Fire are presently leading the points table, while Victoria are placed fifth place with 20 points.
With two victories and three defeats in their previous five games, Victoria’s recent play has been inconsistent. Queensland Fire, on the other hand, have won four of their past five games, demonstrating excellent form. In their last meeting, which took place at Junction Oval on February 7, 2025, Victoria scored 295/5 in 50 overs. The Queensland Fire won by 7 wickets after successfully chasing this mark, scoring 299/3 in 39.3 overs.
Squads:
Victoria women’s cricket team:
Nicole Faltum, Sophie Day, Samara Dulvin, Tess Flintoff, Poppy Gardner, Hasrat Gill, Ella Hayward, Olivia Henry, Rhys McKenna, Sasha Moloney, Jasmin Nevins, Georgia Prestwidge, Sophie Reid
Queensland Fire:
Lily Bassingthwaighte, Bonnie Berry, Lucinda Bourke, Sienna Ginger, Lilli Hamilton, Nicola Hancock, Laura Harris, Charli Knott, Grace Parson, Georgia Redmayne, Courtney Sippel, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Mikayla Wrigley
Players to watch out:
Nicole Faltum
The 25-year-old seasoned keeper-batter is an important leader for Victoria. She is a valuable asset because of her ability to stabilize the middle order and anchor the innings. In addition, she is excellent with the gloves behind the stumps. She has amassed 296 runs from 9 outings, thus far, and scored a mature 90 in her most recent outing.
Sophie Day
The 26-year-old left-arm orthodox bowler has been a reliable member. She is skilled at providing breakthroughs and keeping the middle overs under control. She has the ability to contribute significantly in the lower order with the bat. This season so far, she has scalped 14 wickets from 9 outings, at an economy rate of 4.87.
Georgia Voll
For Queensland Fire, Georgia Voll, a 21-year-old emerging star, is a reliable top-order batter. In domestic cricket, she has produced match-winning performances and is renowned for her aggressive yet calculated batting style. She may also help the team with the ball as a useful part-time bowler, giving them flexibility. She captured two wickets for her team and scored 94 runs in the most recent game.
Sienna Ginger
At the age of 19, Sienna Ginger is a talented young all-round who has demonstrated tremendous promise with the bat and the ball. She has contributed significantly to Queensland’s bowling attack and batting order, making her a standout performer in the domestic circuit. In the tournament thus far, she has taken 15 wickets and scored 169 runs.
Pitch:
The fast and bouncy pitch at Melbourne’s Junction Oval is well-known for helping pacers. At this venue, teams typically lose eight wickets in the first innings, with an average score of about 253 runs. In the 2nd innings, seven wickets are lost, and the average score falls to 221 runs.
Weather:
Melbourne’s forecast will see moments of sun and clouds with a potential of thunderstorms in some areas. With a high of 26°C (78°F) and a low of 16°C (61°F), windy conditions are predicted.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Nicole Faltum, Sophie Day, Georgia Voll, Sienna Ginger, Tess Flintoff, Charli Knott, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Sasha Moloney, Nicola Hancock, Georgia Redmayne, Courtney Sippel
Match details:
Date: February 9, 2025
Time: 04:30 AM IST
Venue: Junction Oval, Melbourne
Broadcast: Available on cricket.com.au and Kayo Sports.
