Wests first grade women ground out two hard-fought T20 wins on the first weekend of competition for the Katherine Raymont Shield. With several senior players unavailable due to rep cricket commitments, the opening rounds were always going to be a challenge, but the girls rose magnificently to the cause.
Game 1 vs Ipswich-Logan
The first game against Ipswich-Logan was played under lights on Friday night at Chelmer Sports Ground. This first game in the competition for Season 2019-20 was a cracker with the result not being clear until the final over.
Wests’ innings started well, but lost Courtney Sippel early to a spectacular diving catch by Ruth Johnson at square leg.
Eliza Goffage and captain Meagan Dixon steadied the innings before Eliza departed with the score on 43, after which Meagan Dixon and Lily Awyzio combined for a 64-run partnership before Meagan Dixon departed having contributed 57 off 50 balls.
Several run outs ensued in the scramble to the finish line and the innings finished on 6/119.
Ipswich-Logan’s run chase began strongly, and faltered only briefly when Ash Sims bowled their captain Ellie Johnson and Meagan Dixon bowled Ruth Johnson before regaining momentum when Kira Holmes came to the wicket and scored a quick 25(24). Courtney Sippel and Meagan Dixon bowled two very tight eighteenth and nineteenth overs, cranking up the scoreboard pressure which directly contributed to three wickets being taken by Meagan Dixon and Lily Awyzio in the last two overs.
After having looked to be a serious risk of going down, the Westies ladies rallied and edged out Ipswich-Logan for a gritty two-run win.
Key individual stats:
- Meagan Dixon 57 (50) and 2/14 (4)
- Lily Awyzio 12 (24) and 2/27 (4)
- Courtney Sippel 11 (16)
- Naiya Varidel 9no (7)
- Ashleigh Sims 1/17 (4)
Threatening a runout… 
Courtney Sippel lets fly. 
Naiya Varidel pushes a single into the on side. 
Olivia Hartland launches a rocket. 
The team watches on while Meagan Dixon and Lily Awyzio bat. 
Meagan Dixon sweeps.
Game 2 vs Valleys
The Second game against Valleys was another night game played on Sunday September 22 under Ashgrove Sport’s Grounds new lights. This was the first competitive game of cricket played on this ground played under the new lights.
The game started with a touch of “excitement” when the team’s wicket-keeper Tammy Cole was unable to play due to late a late work call-up. After a brief survey as to who knew one end of a set of keeping gloves from the other, Naiya Varidel confessed to having kept at least once in the last two years and was duly appointed to keep wicket.
Wests batted first and scored steadily in the face of very tight bowling by Valleys. Meagan Dixon again starred with the bat and led the team to total of 5/93.
Valleys scored steadily from the start of their innings and were cruising on 55 without loss when Lauren Hume claimed four critical wickets in quick succession and Eliza Goffage combined with Lauren to effect a sharp runout as well. In the space of minutes, Valleys went from cruising at 0/55 to reeling at 5/65. Tight bowling by Meagan Dixon, Lily Awyzio and Courtney Sippel, astute captaincy by Meagan Dixon and near-flawless fielding in the last overs turned the screws even further and keeper Naiya Varidel capped off the game with a runout on the last delivery of the innings.
Valleys were restricted to 6/89 from their 20 overs, giving the Doggies a four-run win and took the girls to two-for-two on a great weekend of cricket.
Key individual stats:
- Megan Dixon 36 (39)
- Courtney Sippel 15 (16)
- Lauren Hume 4/12 (4)
Wests First Grade women take on Valleys under lights at Peter Easton Oval, Ashgrove. 
Stand-in keeper Naiya Varidel gathers one on the fly as captain Meagan Dixon looks on.
