Rejuvenated WA go back-to-back over South Australia

Western Australia have humbled a South Australian side boasting of international heavyweights with an eight wicket win in the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL).

The dominant victory followed another comfortable win over the same side two days earlier as WA somewhat repaired their floundering start in the tournament to climb to fourth on the ladder.

Veteran spearhead Megan Schutt joined her Australian teammates Tahlia McGrath and Darcie Brown on the field on Saturday, but the trio finished wicketless in a luckless day for South Australia.

McGrath, though, improved her returns with the bat from the first game (28 off 40) as she registered a measured 47 off 72.

The Australian vice-captain was the top-scorer for her side that went through periods of collapse after electing to bat first.

WA spinner Amy Edgar (3-19) picked up from her five-wicket haul on Thursday, dismissing opener Bridget Patterson with her second delivery when she was given the ball in the second over of the innings.

Young quick Ebony Hoskin (2-19) then dismissed Courtney Webb and Madeline Penna in quick succession as the visitor slumped to 3-4 in five overs.

A 91-run partnership between Emma de Broughe (40 off 45) and McGrath revived South Australia's innings. As McGrath held one end firmly, de Broughe looked to put the pressure back onto the fielding side as she welcomed quick Piepa Cleary with a six and a four in the 13th over.

But the stand was broken in the 23rd over when 20-year-old leg spinner Shay Manolini initiated a string of four dismissals, starting with de Broughe's and ending with that of McGrath to leave South Australia 7-118.

In a display of her experience, Schutt put up a resistance, scoring nine in her stay of 27 balls and adding 25 runs in a ninth wicket partnership with Eleanor Larosa (16 off 33).

South Australia were wrapped up on 153 within 40 overs and the hope the names on their bowling list would have given them to defend it was extinguished by a strong start by the WA openers.

After setting themselves a solid base in the first 10 overs, Chloe Piparo and Maddy Darke changed gears when the spin of Amanda-Jade Wellington was introduced in the 12th over.

Piparo took the leggie for a six and McGrath gave away three fours in the next over. But Wellington extracted revenge when she had Darke stumped in her attempt to charge down for a third boundary in the over.

Piparo then hit one straight to McGrath at mid-on in the next as both openers fell on an identical score of 39 off 40.

Those, however, proved to be the only wickets South Australia could manage as Heather Graham's rapid 46no off 40, supported by Mikayla Hinkley (24no off 37), took WA over the line in just over half of their available 50 overs.

It was a bitter-sweet occasion for Cleary, as her first WNCL game since 2024 was also the last of her career with the 29-year-old – the backbone of the WA attack not long ago – announcing her decision to retire after a prolonged struggle with injuries.

Both WA and South Australia have tough assignments up next.

South Australia travel to Brisbane to face table-leaders Queensland on January 20, while WA will come up against Tasmania in Hobart on January 28.

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 Queensland Fire QLD	6	6	0	0	0	0.838	0	3	27
2 NSW Women NSW	4	4	0	0	0	1.077	0	1	17
3 Tasmanian Tigers Women TAS	6	3	3	0	0	0.692	0	3	15
4 Western Australia Women WA	6	2	4	0	0	-0.222	0	2	10
5 ACT Meteors ACT	4	2	2	0	0	0.371	0	1	9
6 South Australia Women SA	4	1	3	0	0	-1.148	0	0	4
7 Victoria Women VIC	6	0	6	0	0	-1.53	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