Annabel Sutherland’s return to WNCL was marked by success, but it failed to change Victoria’s dwindling fortunes
Annabel Sutherland’s scintillating century has failed to end Victoria’s woes in the WNCL as her side succumbed to a six-wicket loss to South Australia in a star-studded fixture in Adelaide.
It was a collective effort from the home side’s batting order to chase down a competitive 285 with relative ease as five of their top six crossed the 40-run mark, never allowing Victorian bowlers to wrestle back the control in the second innings.
Emma de Broughe top scored with an 82 off 87 and her 115-run stand with Courtney Webb (51 off 60) scripted the outcome of the game after SA’s new opener Hollie Armitage was removed early by Sutherland (1-42).
Madeline Penna (52 off 52) took over the aggressor’s role after Webb’s dismissal in the 22nd over as the South Australians kept the asking rate firmly in check, punishing the Victorians for bowling too short.
Australian vice-captain Tahlia McGrath played another reassuring knock of 43 not out after a half-century against the same opposition two days earlier. She combined with Bridget Patterson (43no off 33), who had moved down from her opening spot this game, to take South Australia home with 22 balls remaining.
Earlier, Sutherland’s knock of 134 off 112 had come at a crucial juncture for the Victorians after Australian tearaway Darcie Brown (2-46) had removed Ella Hayward and newly appointed national captain Sophie Molineux cheaply – both for five.
Sutherland immediately put the pressure back onto the bowlers by choosing the aggressive route, taking over from where she had left off two days back, when she scored 75 in her first game back for Victoria in three years.
She timed the spinners down the ground and took on the pace of South Australia’s international trio with her power to hit them on both sides of the wicket and behind the keeper.
Her knock was ended in an attempt to come down the wicket to hit the off-spin of Barsby over long on that resulted in her missing the ball that crashed her stumps.
Opener Nicole Faltum (33 off 63), Tess Flintoff (32 of 54), and Olivia Henry (26 off 31) all played cameos on the other end, but none could score at the pace of Sutherland as the Vics missed out on putting a more challenging total on a batting paradise at the Karen Rolton Oval.
The loss leaves Victoria winless after eight games, while South Australia continue their upward climb and position themselves as a serious contender for a spot in the final.
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
NSW
8
8
0
0
0
1.22
0
4
36
2
QLD
10
6
4
0
0
0.072
0
3
27
3
SA
8
5
3
0
0
-0.224
0
1
21
4
WA
8
4
4
0
0
-0.014
0
2
18
5
TAS
9
3
6
0
0
0.213
0
3
15
6
ACT
7
3
4
0
0
-0.093
0
1
13
7
VIC
8
0
8
0
0
-1.229
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
