ICC Women’s Global Development Squad (WGDS) played its first 3 games of the Melbourne fixtures on 9th and 10th October. The global squad which consists of female players from developing cricket playing nations was scheduled to play 6 T20 games against the combined teams in Australia before the start of the Women’s Big Bash League. The players will be then dispatched to various WBBL teams.
The WGDS is led by Bismah Maroof of Pakistan and has players from 8 countries. The team has already played 3 games- winning one and will complete the leg of Melbourne before moving to play 2 remaining games in Hobart.
Here is the summary of the first 3 games that the WGDS played in Melbourne-
Match 1: WGDS v Melbourne Renegades/Melbourne Stars Combined XI
The Women’s Global Development Squad batted first and made 111 runs in the quota of 20 overs. Bismah Maroof high scored with 27 runs while Sarah Bryce and Hannah Rowe scored 26 and 25 runs respectively.
In the second innings, Victorian XI could only score 99 runs. Hannah Rowe who hails from New Zealand was the highest wicket taker taking 4 wickets. Maritz bagged 2 and Rumana Ahmed and Tippoch got one each.
Result: Women’s Global Development Squad won the match by 12 runs
Match 2: WGDS v Adelaide Strikers
Adelaide Strikers on batting first scored 160 runs. Devine scored a fifty from the Strikers’ side. Lara Martiz of Ireland got 3 wickets. Kaia Arua and Suleeporn Laomi got one each.
In response, the Women’s Global Development Squad could only score 105 runs, losing 6 wickets in the process. It was Sarah Bryce of Scotland who scored 27 runs. Captain Maroof added 22 runs to the scoreboard. Strikers’ A.J. Wellington scalped 3 wickets, two of which were bowled. Ellen Falconer got 2 while Alex Price took one.
Result: Adelaide Strikers won the match by 55 runs
Match 3: WGDS v Melbourne Renegades/Melbourne Stars Combined XI
The Victorian XI batted in the first innings and scored 132 runs losing 5 wickets. S.G. Molineux scored 45 runs of 39 balls. Suwandewi, Katie McGill, Lara Martiz and Hannah Rowe were the wicket-takers from the WGDS bowling unit.
The Women’s Global Development Squad could only score 96 runs in their 20 overs, losing 9 wickets. No one could contribute more to the team’s total than Sarah Bryce who fell to M.A. Blows after scoring 26 runs. Blows and King were the prominent wicket-takers from the Victorian side, taking 3 wickets each. Molly Strano, Courtney Neale, and Sophie Molineaux scalped one each.
Result: Victoria Won by 36 Runs
Remaining Fixtures:
11 October: WGDS v Adelaide Strikers
13 October: WGDS v Hobart Hurricanes/Tasmanian Tigers Combined XI
14 October: WGDS v Hobart Hurricanes/Tasmanian Tigers Combined XI
ICC Women’s Global Development Squad:
Captain-Bismah Maroof (Pakistan), Rumana Ahmed, Nigar Sultana Joty (Bangladesh), Ni Made Putri Suwandewi (Indonesia), Lara Martiz (Ireland), Hannah Rowe (New Zealand), Kaia Arua, Tanya Ruma (Papua New Guinea), Katie McGill, Sarah Bryce (Scotland), Sornnarin Tippoch, Suleeporn Laomi, Naruemol Chaiwai (Thailand)
Head Coach- Sean Trouw (Netherlands)
Assistant Coach- Peter Ross (Scotland)
Loves all things female cricket