Vics snap winless streak in a thriller after Sutherland ton

Victoria have won their first Women's National Cricket League match since 2024-25, edging home by two wickets in a final-over thriller under Junction Oval's new lights.

Annabel Sutherland (107 from 96) and Georgia Wareham (88 from 89) laid the foundation for Victoria's pursuit of South Australia's 7-290, but the Aussie stars were unable to fully break the shackles in the face of a tight middle-overs bowling effort led by national teammates Tahlia McGrath (2-55) and Megan Schutt (2-49).

When McGrath bowled Wareham in the 43rd over, ending a 164-run fourth-wicket hand, and Schutt had Sutherland caught on the deep in the 47th, the Vics still needed 37 runs from 23 deliveries with four wickets in hand.

But handy cameos from Kim Garth (17 off 11) and Molly Strano (11no from 7) saw them take 31 runs off the next 17 deliveries, leaving the Vics needing just six off the last over.

Sophie Day iced a famous run chase for Victoria with a reverse sweep off leggie Amanda-Jade Wellington, getting her side home with three balls to spare. 

It saw them claim their first WNCL points since February 2025, putting to bed last season's winless run. 

"It's huge," Sutherland said of the win. "The work that they've done in the preseason is unbelievable.

"It's chalk-and-cheese program-wise, and coming back and just seeing the development and progression of a lot of the younger girls - Hasrat Gill, Sammy Dulvin, Rhys McKenna - all of them are in really good nick and have put a mountain of work in.

"Blake Reed our batting coach is an absolute gun, and he's done heap of work with the girls and they've all been really curious, trying to get better, and asking lots of questions of the Aussie players coming back in.

"I mean, it's not all about winning and losing, but I think it builds confidence that they're doing the right things.

"It was nice to have a partnership with Wolfy (Wareham). We complement each other quite well and put on a really good partnership ... it would have been nice to be there at the end, get the job done, but far out, the girls did so well to keep it moving and get the job done."

Earlier, McGrath made a statement with bat and ball ahead of Australia's upcoming white-ball series, with her 154 from 137 deliveries paving the way to South Australia's 7-290.

The Australia vice-captain, who was left on the bench throughout their triumphant T20 World Cup campaign in June and July, had earlier rescued her team from a precarious position at 5-97. 

McGrath shared a 167-run sixth-wicket stand with captain Jemma Barsby (50 off 71), but it was her explosion after reaching triple figures from 111 deliveries that ensured Victoria would need to chase an imposing target.

The allrounder added 51 runs from the final 26 deliveries she faced after raising the bat, and was only dismissed from the final ball of the innings. 

McGrath capped off a good all-round day with two wickets from her 10 overs and a sharp catch to remove Sutherland.  

McGrath's last appearance for Australia was during their tour of the West Indies in April, and her all-round heroics in Melbourne will not have harmed her chances of selection for next month's ODIs against Bangladesh and T20Is against New Zealand. 

The teams will meet again at Junction Oval on Thursday.