Geraldton women’s cricket round 8: Wanderers hand Sportsmans their first loss of the season

Sportsmans are still top of the Young Motors Women’s Cricket League but lost to Wanderers, competition leaders in all but name, on Sunday.

Nevertheless, Sportsmans showed they’re capable of upsetting Wanderers come the grand final on February 25.

Having said that, Wanderers had an interesting addition to their side which only makes them even better with Sam Biddiscombe playing her first game of the season.

She made 21 before she was retired (which counts as an out) and though she didn’t add to her 53 career wickets, 0-18 off six overs was tidy.

The game was a 30-overs-a-side match at Wonthella. Sportsmans’ Jo Walker won the toss and batted and her side made 7-88 with Belinda Burrows (34 off 75 balls) solid and handy runs from Jess Wake (17).

Scoring was slow but that is forgivable against the Wanderers attack led by captain Olivia Bidwell (2-10 off six overs) with Layne Gillingham (2-10), who has become a wicket-taker, also doing well.

Wanderers reply was led by Ashlyn Thompson (33 off 45 balls) and Gillingham (16) who put on 47 for the second wicket after Ruby MacPherson (2-7) made an early breakthrough.

Walker (3-21) kept Sporties in the game with the wickets of Thompson, Gillingham and Abby Green while Wake found a way through Bidwell’s defence to shift her cheaply.

But Sporties didn’t have enough runs in the bank and Biddiscombe steered Wanderers to victory, as they finished with 8-109.

The game at the Rec was also 30-overs-a-side and comfortably won by Chapman Valley-Northampton over Towns.

Towns batted after skipper Ruth Vorster won the toss and their innings was built around Dirranie Kirby (44 off 72 balls) who showed positive intent. At one stage Towns were 1-70.

Kirby’s lone hand was ended by Kiara Hutchinson (2-14) and then wickets tumbled with Kylie Bremner (2-17) among the bowlers to make incisions.

Towns made 7-95 but did make CVN work for their win, keeping them at bay until the 22nd over.

Bremner (49 off 60 balls), who like Kirby is having a wonderful season, led the way and Kate Clarkson (21 not out) finished nicely as CVN ended at 6-121.

Kirby (2-14) was best of the bowlers though Haylee Coker had a good moment when she bowled Bremner to deny her a half century.