Our girls downed Redlands emphatically in their second grade one-dayer and first grade chalked up a double win in T20s against Gold Coast and Valleys. Big batting was the order of the day with Courtney Home thumping 85 in twos and Grace Harris posting scores 97no and 92 in ones!
First Grade T20 vs Gold Coast
After winning the toss inviting the Dolphins to bat, the Wests ladies vindicated captain Annie Wikman’s decision with a solid bowling display. Gold Coast posted a health 3/127 lead by former Westie Courtney Sippel with and undefeated 67 with 35 from Sammy-Jo Johnson.
Sophie Martin bowled with great economy in her first grade debut taking a wicket and yielding just 14 runs from her four overs. Ash Sims also snared two wickets with her canny off spin!
The top order got themselves in a tangle with the bat, losing bats two to six rapidly to have the team precariously poised at 5/40 after just 5 overs. It the was looking grim, but with batting big gun Grace Harris still at the crease there was always hope. She was joined by Olivia Hartland, and prompted proceeded to launch an all-out assault on the Gold Coast bowlers. They shared a 67-run partnership before Liv departed with the target in sight, having eked out a gritty supporting innings. Ash Sims picked up where Liv left off and Grace powered the score past the finishing line with her eighth six of the innings, but just short of a century on 97* off 46 balls.
So – a four wicket win in 15 overs. Chalk that one up to Grace!
Key statistics:
- Grace Harris 97* (46) & 2/17 (4)
- Ashleigh Sims 2/25 (2.6)
- Sophie Martin 1/11 (4)
First Grade T20 vs Valleys
Valley batted first in Wests the second game of the day, and got off to a flyer with their openers Abby Harris and Mikayla Hinkley cracking 49 in just 4 overs before Ash Sims dismissed Mikayla with the final ball of her second over.
After their rocket start, Valleys lost wickets steadily with Ash Sims, Grace Harris, Annie Wikman and Lilli Hamilton each taking two and the Valleys girls finished with 8/139 from their 20 overs.
For the second time in the day, Grace Harris was not in the mood to mess around with the bat and powered her way to 92 off 48 balls. She shared a 112-run partnership with Riley Wotherspoon before Riley was dismissed and Grace departed ten runs later with the target just 17 runs away. Captain Annie Wikman and Naiya Varidel closed the innings and secured the victory with a quick final cameo.
A second win for the day built on Grace’s bat!
Key statistics:
- Grace Harris 92 (48) & 2/17 (4)
- Riley Wotherspoon 15 (37)
- Annie Wikman 12* (8) & 2/25 (3)
- Ashleigh Sims 2/23 (4)
- Lilli Hamilton 2/26 (4)
Second Grade OD vs Redlands
Our second grade girls made it two straight with a thumping one-day victory over Redlands at Graceville Memorial Park on Sunday.
Wests lost three early wickets to slump to 3/35 before Scarlett Varidel and Kyrna Crump steadied the innings with a 39-run partnership before Ky fell for a quick 16. Scarlett and Courtney Home put on a rapid 58 for the fifth wicket before Scarlett departed for 30. Courtney then lit the afterburners with some hard hitting and combined with Rebecca Storrs to take the score to 213 before Courtney was bowled for 85 off just 66 balls. Rebecca finished on 31 and Olivia Totten chipped in with a run-a-ball 8.
Having put on a massive 229 for 7 in their 40 overs, the Westies opened the bowling with the spin of Kyrna Crump and Kinjal Dani from both ends, and they proceeded to strangle the scoring with Redlands making just 12 runs from the first 16 overs and losing two wickets in the process. Quick Erin Moran entered the attack and snared two quick wickets on either side of a sharp runout by Rebecca Storrs and keeper Scarlett. Sophie Whittaker grabbed an lbw and Redlands were in deep trouble at 7/35. Their lower order offered some resistance but it was quickly nullified with two wickets to Rebecca Storrs and Bec McCoombes took out the final bat to wind up the Redlands innings for 70.
The 159-run win was the second big victory in the first two weeks of the season, getting the girls off to a great start.
Key statistics:
- Courtney Home 85 (66)
- Rebecca Storrs 31* (46) & 2/11 (2)
- Scarlett Varidel 30 (55)
- Kyrna Crump 16 (19) & 2/4 (8)
- Emma Lockwood 12 (38)
- Erin Moran 3/12 (4)
- Sophie Whittaker 1/8 (4)
- Rebecca McCoombes 1/7 (3.1)
