Meteors dominate against inexperienced Victoria

ACT Meteors have ripped through Victoria's inexperienced batting line-up for just 87 to set up a comfortable five-wicket victory at Junction Oval.

Zoe Cooke utilised the new ball to claim three early wickets before Erin Osborne's off-spin cleaned up the tail, as Victoria recorded five ducks and in a forgettable day for a side missing the likes of Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland all to international duties.

Victoria's day began in unfortunate circumstances with a terrible mix-up in the third over seeing opener Makinley Blows slip mid-pitch, resulting in her partner Rhiann O'Donnell being run out for a duck.

While the loss of an early wicket wasn't ideal for Victoria, the injury to Blows was more concerning as she appeared in considerable pain and was forced from the field as well.

It left the Victorians 1-6 but with two fresh batters in the middle, a situation that was only worsened when Cooke found a way through Amy Vine's defence for just one a few balls later.

Victoria captain Nicole Faltum joined Kim Garth at the crease, but she too was dismissed for one courtesy of a stunning catch by Meteors star Katie Mack, while Tess Flintoff allowed the ball to crash into her stumps for a duck to leave the home side in tatters.

Cooke was doing the damage with a double-wicket maiden taking her figures to 3-5 off five overs, as Victoria were left reeling at 4-14.

Garth provided a much-needed counter punch for the struggling Vics with some beautiful on-drives beginning to move the scoreboard along, however she was adjudged LBW for 24 just as she was looking ready to propel her side's innings forward.

There was a surprise as Blows return to the crease; the opener had dislocated her kneecap in the earlier incident but showed immense courage to resume her innings, albeit with a minor limp.

Blows (14) did her best to put a competitive total on the board for her side, but when she was well caught by Osborne off the bowling of Amy Yates, Victoria again collapsed as the ACT spinners began wreaking havoc.

Osborne claimed two quick wickets, while second-gamer Alisha Bates secured her maiden WNCL breakthrough, as Victoria were bundled out for 87; their fifth lowest ever total in the competition's history.

Anna Lanning was left stranded with no further partners, top scoring with 26 not out, but it was ACT's bowlers who starred with Osborne finishing with 4-15 and Cooke 3-5.

Victoria started the second innings well by claiming the huge wicket of Katie Mack in just the second over as Sam Bates lured the Australia A representative out of her crease to be stumped for six.

Rebecca Carter and Erica Kershaw put the early wicket behind them to form a 55-run partnership that all put guided the Meteors to victory.

Carter was caught behind for 22 to hand Victorian debutant Rhys McKenna her first wicket, while she had a second in her next over to leave ACT 3-71.

There was too much to do for Victoria however, as ACT passed the total five wickets down and with 28 overs to spare, securing their first win on the WNCL season, while Victoria remains winless.

Speaking after the match, Osborne was ecstatic for her team to have put their first win of an interrupted WNCL campaign on the board and gain some momentum with plenty of games still to come.

"I think with the start we had to our WNCL campaign it's nice to turn around and put in a better performance with our bowling and fielding," Osborne.

"We started well with the bat, Erica (Kershaw) and Bec Carter put a nice partnership together and for us to lose a couple of wickets at the end there was a little disappointing

"Credit to Rhys McKenna I thought she bowled exceptionally well especially for such a young person still learning the craft."

The 32-year-old Osborne is in her final WNCL season after already retiring from the WBBL late last year and used all her experience to roll through the Victorian lower order but credited her opening bowlers for their earlier brilliance.

"They're (Victoria) very young and inexperienced and will learn from that, I think there was a little bit in the wicket early on," Osborne said.

"I thought Nic Hancock and Zoe Cooke bowled exceptionally well up front for us, they set the tone for the rest of the game…and overall our first 10 overs were really good which allowed me to come on a do my thing.

"I don't feel like I'm bowling any better than I have in previous years, it was just one of those days where things fell my way."

Victoria will take on Tasmania again at home on Wednesday March 2, while ACT don't play again until the following Wednesday, also against Tasmania.