The Monash Tigers got their season back on track last weekend, consigning the defending champions the Raiders (Croydon) to their loss this year with an exciting 109-98 win at Cranbourne.
The Monash Tigers got their season back on track last weekend, consigning the defending champions the Raiders (Croydon) to their loss this year with an exciting 109-98 win at Cranbourne.
Victoria West Women’s:
After the Tigers batted first, they found themselves in a spot of both early on, making just 33 at the half-way stage. Amy Jennings rattled the stumps twice and the rest of the bowlers chipped in as the Raiders took five wickets in the first eight overs. The last eight saw no wickets taken and 76 runs scored as the last two pairs provided the onslaught. Jasleen Kaur and Ellen Williams gave the initial impetus with 37 before Maddie Wright and Rhys McKenna provided the final burst with 39 to set the Raiders 110 to win. Elly Donald and Deb Laughlan started the chase positively putting on 28, before the Raiders were left needing 28 to win in the last 4 overs. However, it proved to be too tall an order as Williams took 2 wickets in the final over to give the Tigers a much needed 11-run win.
On the other side of the draw, Hoppers Hurricanes continued their stranglehold upon the top of the West division with a resounding 36-run win over the Kings. The Kings made first use of the court in a high-scoring affair, all pairs making at least 20 or more on their way to a competitive 107. Danielle Montague and Donna Jones opened with 30, before Nicole Martin and Aimee Melford did the same to close as the Hurricanes struggled to find traction, taking 5 wickets through the innings. However, the Hurricanes’ strength has been in their batting, and it proved here again as they blasted their way to 143. Zoe Griffiths and Tamsyn Wright scored an impressive 38 opening up before Alanah Mison and Haylee Landi made a further 42 to take Hoppers to 80 at the half-way mark. From there it was academic as the Hoppers (27 points) took a 12-point lead over the Kings who have a game in hand, whilst the Raiders and Tigers are a further point apiece back. EMP Bombers had the bye.
Victoria East Women’s:
The Northcote Pirates’ early season winning streak was finally broken at Cranbourne last weekend, with Cranbourne avenging their early season loss to the Pirates with a tense 5-run victory to take a narrow lead at the top of the East division.
Cranbourne would have been impressed with chasing down 108 after bowling first and having only seven players available for the clash. The Pirates did the heavy work up front, smashing 70 in the first eight overs as Rebecca Heenan and Nethali Perera cracked 32 to open up whilst Olivia Cooper and Maddison Heitlinger then blasted 38 to provide the Pirates with the ascendancy half-way through their innings. 37 were scored in the last eight but Northcote fell away, with Keely Pace and Bec Newman both snaring a brace, six wickets falling in the last eight overs.
Perera then picked up a brace herself in the first over as Cranbourne were against the ropes early in the chase. They rebounded to make 71 through the middle pairs with Debbie Wierbinski and Becky Petty’s 40 in the third skin providing some momentum. 25 in the final pair was a tough ask but Pace and Newman negotiated the Pirates attack to get home mid-way through the last over.
Croydon kept their season in contention with a commanding 118-81 win over the winless CSB Seahawks. Their second win of the year kept them in fourth spot but would have provided some confidence in chasing down 82 comfortably. The Seahawks started well, making 30 in the first pair as Jade Johnson and Vanchica Pathania played assertively early on. But seven wickets fell through the middle two pairs as Stella de Roos claimed 4/-4 in her two overs. They then backed it up with the bat, nearly reaching the total by the end of the third pair but then pulling away in the final pair to take a much needed three-skin win. Casey Stars had the bye.
No matches were played in the NICL Men’s West and East divisions last week.
By Ahmad Khawaja
