Two of Australia’s all-time greats combined as the defending champions continued their strong domestic 50-over campaign in Canberra
Alyssa Healy has hammered an unbeaten 81 to guide New South Wales to an eight-wicket win over ACT Meteors, while Ellyse Perry also shone in her much-anticipated return to NSW colours.
The Australian captain warmed up for her impending international swansong in style, hitting six boundaries in her 79-ball innings at EPC Solar Park as the Breakers chased down the ACT’s 9-221 with 13.3 overs to spare.
Opening the batting alongside Tahlia Wilson – who retained the wicketkeeping gloves for the game despite Healy’s appearance – the pair put on an even 100 for the first wicket before Wilson was caught for a 78-ball 57.
Her dismissal brought Perry, playing her first match for NSW since 2019 following her return from Victoria, to the middle to join her Australian teammate.
The Meteors had few answers for the legendary Australian pair, who shared a 91-run second-wicket stand before Perry was dismissed for 46 thanks to a piece of fielding brilliance from a diving Shivani Mehta.
There was no stopping Healy however, while former Meteors skipper Katie Mack struck an unbeaten 14-ball 24 in her first outing against her former side.
Earlier, Breakers captain Lauren Cheatle led the way with the ball taking 3-34 from her nine overs.
Maitlan Brown set the tone dismissing Olivia Porter (1) in the second over after NSW won the toss and opted to field, and while opening partner Carly Leeson (49 off 83) dug in, the ACT middle-order could not go on with their starts.
The spin of Sam Bates accounted for Paris Bowdler (17), Georgia Adams dismissed her English counterpart Georgia Elwiss (25) and Annie Wikman (21) became the first of Cheatle’s wickets.
Rising keeper-bat Grace Lyons was the standout for the Meteors, top-scoring with a 58-ball 55.
Healy and Perry are making rare appearances for NSW in the lead-up to next month’s multi-format series against India. In recent seasons, Australia’s increasingly busy schedule has largely overlapped with the WNCL, while most of the country’s top players are currently in India for the Women’s Premier League.
However with Healy overlooked for this year’s WPL and Perry withdrawing for personal reasons, the opportunity arose for the veterans to don their state colours. NSW will play a further three matches, including a repeat game against the Meteors in Canberra on Thursday, before the opening T20I against India on February 15.
