Lanning makes welcome return as Perry hits career-best

Career-best performances from Ellyse Perry and Nicole Faltum have led Victoria to a dominant 88-run win over New South Wales as Meg Lanning made her much anticipated return to cricket.

Perry (147) produced her highest List A score and Victoria skipper Faltum (107no) struck her maiden one-day century to lead their side to a mammoth 4-321, the highest Women’s National Cricket League total ever scored against New South Wales.

Perry then picked up 2-26, ‘keeper Faltum pouched four catches and Tess Flintoff took a career-best 3-32 in her return from a shoulder injury as NSW were restricted to 8-233.

The margin was enough to secure a bonus point for the hosts, who moved above NSW into fifth spot on the WNCL table.

All the attention pre-game was focused on the much-anticipated return of Lanning after a six-month break and stand-in NSW skipper Sammy-Jo Johnson gave anxious fans what they wanted when she asked Victoria to bat first.

Lanning was a touch rusty at times, and in her haste to get off the mark ran out opening partner Sophie Reid for a diamond duck, but produced some trademark Lanning cuts and drives to reach 29 off 32 balls before falling to the spin of Lauren Smith.

Annabel Sutherland (5 off 24) was frustrated before holing out to Phoebe Litchfield on the rope, and after a rapid start had seen Victoria race to 1-71 after 10 overs, NSW turned the screws to keep them to 3-105 at the 20-over mark.

But once Faltum joined Perry in the middle the momentum swung firmly back in Victoria’s favour – and stayed there.

Perry pounced on anything loose from the NSW quicks and brought up a half-century from 43 balls, as the Victorian pair took the hosts to 3-174 after 30 overs.

Faltum’s second fifty of the one-day season came off 53 balls, while Perry was unstoppable.

The allrounder raced to her second ton of the WNCL season off 89 deliveries – the second fastest List A hundred of her lengthy career.

She hit 23 boundaries in a 125-ball 147, the highest individual score ever made against NSW in the WNCL, with her brilliant knock only ending when she was run out in the 46th over.

Supported by leg-spinner Georgia Wareham, who hit an unbeaten 17 off 12 in her first match since rupturing her ACL in October 2021, Faltum passed her previous career-best score of 88 before bringing up triple figures off 105 balls in the 49th over, remaining unbeaten as Victoria put the finishing touches on a record total.

Perry and Faltum then combined to remove NSW opener Tahlia Wilson (10) in the fourth over of the Breakers’ chase.

The Victoria ‘keeper remained in the thick of the action when she took a brilliant running catch to remove English opener Sophie Luff, who struggled to get going in her 40-ball innings of 10.

Recent international debutant Phoebe Litchfield made a positive start, striking three boundaries, but Tess Flintoff found the edge of her bat in the 17th over and Faltum did the rest, taking a sharp diving catch to remove the teenager for 27.

Flintoff then trapped Anika Learoyd lbw for 12 to leave NSW 4-77 after 21 overs, before a Perry peach accounted for Erin Burns (30).

Faltum gloved a fourth catch when Hannah Darlington departed for 11, and Flintoff picked up a third when Saskia Horley (35) was well caught by Wareham at midwicket.

Stand-in NSW captain Johnson hit an entertaining 48 from 52 deliveries, but Victoria restricted their rivals to 8-233 to ice a comprehensive win.

The teams will meet again at the same venue on Saturday.