NSW bounced back from their first defeat of the season to end South Australia’s finals hopes in the WNCL
Set a herculean task to stay in the finals race, South Australia have gone down without much of a fight to end their WNCL season with a 62-run defeat to the NSW Breakers.
Overnight, South Australia had slid down to no.4 on the points table after Western Australia’s bonus point win over the ACT. All three contenders for the right to join NSW in the final – WA, Queensland and SA – were tied on 31 points, but South Australia faced the toughest task in their final game as the side with the most inferior net run rate.
Despite their descent effort of restricting NSW under 200 on Saturday, South Australia’s chances had suffered a further, more significant blow as Queensland chased down Victoria’s score of 104 with 211 balls to spare in Brisbane and took their NRR too far ahead of the others.
Chasing 190 at Adelaide Oval, it became apparent in no time that the South Australian batters were carrying a ‘go hard or go home’ mentality. Unfortunately for the home side, that resulted in a combustion as they were bowled out for 128.
Breakers captain Lauren Cheatle (3-21) ran through the top order that tried to come hard at her left-arm pace.
She had two scalps in the first over as Ellie Johnston was bowled in her attempt to swing hard on the leg side and Courtney Webb was caught at gully trying to guide the ball to the rope. Maddie Penna fell in the same fashion as Webb four overs later.
Fellow senior quick Maitlan Brown (2-28) joined the party from the other end, taking out Emma de Broughe (21 off 26) and Bridget Patterson (2 off 3) to leave South Australia – who were by this stage playing simply to end their season with a win – 5-31.
The attempt to salvage the points came from Hollie Armitage (40 off 65) and captain Jemma Barsby (41 off 64). But they fell in quick succession to spin, leaving the lower order with the tough ask of scoring the 75 more required.
Left-arm spinner Sam Bates (3-21) made her 100th WNCL appearance more special by sealing the win for NSW with the final wicket of Ella Wilson (6-18) in the 37th over.
Earlier in the day, South Australia had opted to bowl first, preferring the option of having a total to chase down in 40 over for a required bonus-point win.
They were successful in removing prolific scorers Tahlia Wilson (7 off 15) and Anika Learoyd (6 off 6) early in the innings, but Katie Mack followed on from her 69 in the previous game with a 45 (69).
When Mack edged one to wicketkeeper Bridget Patterson in her attempt to come down to Courtney Neale, NSW were left 4-99 half-way through their 50 overs, giving the home side’s hopes a spark.
However, Georgia Adams rode her luck to high score for the Breakers for her the second time in two games, her 50 off 59 coming on the back of a score of 90 two days back.
She was the lucky escapee in the first of the two run outs denied to South Australia in the innings and evaded falling in the same fashion as she did on Thursday. The Englishwoman failed to ground her bat before the ball hit by Brown straight back to bowler Penna deflected off the latter’s hands and took out the stumps, only for it to be missed by umpire Peter George in his attempt to balance himself.
Adams’ productive knock was ended in the 40th over by Neale’s sharp catch at point off the bowling of Eleanor Larosa, who was the pick of the bowlers for South Australia with her 3-26 in eight overs.
Brown (22 off 46) and Lucy Finn (13 off 30)’s stubborn stays at the crease were pivotal for extending NSW’s innings to the penultimate over, adding to the frustration of the home side, for whom every additional run was a blow to the final hopes.
In the end, the total would prove too big to be chased down at all, let alone quickly enough to keep South Australia alive in the competition.
NSW now await their opponents for the final they will host at Cricket Central on March 21.
Western Australia require a humongous win in the last home-and-away game of the season on Sunday to ensure it’s not a re-match of last season’s title decider.
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
12
11
1
0
0
1.034
0
5
49
2
QLD
12
8
4
0
0
0.459
0
4
36
3
WA
11
7
4
0
0
0.183
0
3
31
4
SA
12
7
4
0
1
-0.22
0
1
31
5
ACT
11
4
6
0
1
-0.277
0
1
19
6
TAS
12
3
9
0
0
0.002
0
3
15
7
VIC
12
0
12
0
0
-1.267
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
