The ACT Meteors handed Victoria a 48-run loss riding on Annie Wikman’s impressive 142 off 136 set
Annie Wikman’s wonderful week has continued in Canberra as her maiden WNCL century set up the ACT Meteors’ second win against Victoria in three days.
The 24-year-old was also the player of the match for her 62no off 58 when the hosts defeated the languishing side two days ago.
On Thursday, Wikman did everything – scored runs, took a wicket and, fittingly, took the catch as the final Victorian wicket fell to seal a 48-run win for ACT.
Victoria were on top of the home side earlier in the morning before the youngster got stuck in to bash out 142 runs off 136 deliveries and push the Meteors to a total that would ultimately be defended with some margin.
After winning the toss Victoria returned the favour to ACT from their previous match, reducing the home side to 3-13 in the fourth over.
Wikman and Olivia Porter (40 off 62) then combined for a 92-run stand to pull things back for the Meteors.
Wikman did the bulk of the scoring once Porter was dismissed in the 23rd over to end unbeaten as ACT finished on 7-247.
Ella Hayward (3-51) was the pick of the bowlers for Victoria, and she also gave her side a stable start with the bat when she walked out to open with Nicole Faltum (21 off 26).
The duo put together a 40-run opening stand but departed in quick succession in the ninth and tenth over.
Australian international Sophie Molineux (19 off 19) got off to a good start, hitting three boundaries, but her stay was cut short by an attempt to up the ante as she was caught on the square boundary by Wikman off Angie Genford.
Shivani Mehta (3-35) uprooted Sophie Reid’s stumps soon after to take her first WNCL wicket and the next two didn’t take too long to come for the youngster as Victoria slumped to 6-95.
The game witnessed an anxious moment in the 30th over of the chase when bowler Gabby Sutcliffe had a fall at the end of her run up. The quick was tended to by the medical staff on the field before walking out after a few minutes had passed.
Wikman was tasked with completing the over and, being able to do no wrong on the day, she hit the top of Georgia Prestwidge’s off stump.
Returning veteran Molly Strano’s (60 off 68) lower order contribution once again proved short for Victoria as they were dismissed on 199 within 42 overs.
This was Meteors’ fourth successive win over Victoria, who will return from the trip to the capital still looking for the first points of the season.
To add to their woes, Tess Flintoff appears to have sustained an injury in the field with the CA-contracted allrounder only bowling three overs and then coming out to bat at No.11 with Faltum acting as her runner.
Their next assignment will be in Adelaide against South Australian on February 3 and 5, while the Meteors will be back in action sooner, hosting NSW on January 20 and 22.
WNCL 2025-26 standings
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Batting Bonus
Bat
Total points
PTS
1
QLD
6
6
0
0
0
0.838
0
3
27
2
NSW
4
4
0
0
0
1.077
0
1
17
3
TAS
6
3
3
0
0
0.692
0
3
15
4
ACT
4
2
2
0
0
0.371
0
1
9
5
WA
5
1
4
0
0
-0.72
0
1
5
6
SA
3
1
2
0
0
-0.644
0
0
4
7
VIC
6
0
6
0
0
-1.53
1
0
-1
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
PTS: Total points
