NSW respond against ACT, Leeson just misses out

New South Wales have responded to their unexpected loss to ACT Meteors on Tuesday with a 34-run win in the reverse fixture on Thursday.

After half-centuries to Georgia Adams (61) and Saskia Horley (75), as well as some late fireworks from Hannah Darlington and Sarah Coyte, NSW posted 8-281 on a pretty good batting pitch at EPC Solar Park in Canberra.

But when Alisha Bates (40) and Carly Leeson (96) got going in reply, the Meteors were a chance to record their second win of the season.

However Leeson fell an agonising four runs short of her maiden WNCL century and the Meteors were bowled out in the final over of the innings.

Missing Lauren Cheatle as the fast bowler deals with skin cancer, it was Darlington (3-56) and Sammy-Jo Johnson (2-34) who took the new ball and both had good days.

Darlington got the huge wicket of ACT captain and WNCL leading run-scorer Katie Mack in the ninth over and it was all uphill for the home side from there.

Earlier the Breakers were in early trouble after winning the toss and choosing to bat, falling to 4-61 as Holly Ferling (3-52) and Leeson (3-44) managed regular breakthroughs with the new ball.

This came after Angelina Genford's 13-ball, 14-run opening over.

The final 10 overs of innings brought 91 runs for NSW as Darlington hit 39 off 41 balls and Coyte walloped an unbeaten 42 off 22 balls.

It's the end of the season for ACT who finish with one win from their 12 matches while NSW still have two remaining games against South Australia in a fortnight's time. 

WNCL 2023-24 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 Tasmanian Tigers Women TAS	12	9	2	0	1	0.98	0	5	43
2 Queensland Fire QLD	12	8	3	0	1	1.224	0	7	41
3 Victoria Women VIC	12	7	5	0	0	0.013	0	4	32
4 Western Australia Women WA	12	6	6	0	0	-0.113	0	4	28
5 NSW Women NSW	12	6	6	0	0	-0.105	0	2	26
6 South Australia Women SA	12	4	8	0	0	-0.063	0	3	19
7 ACT Meteors ACT	12	1	11	0	0	-2.006	0	0	4

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