SA Scorpions go down by three wickets to ACT Meteors in disappointing start to WNCL
SA Scorpions remain winless in the 2019-20 WNCL race after a close three-wicket loss to ACT Meteors at Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide on Tuesday.
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Despite an impressive 129-run opening partnership from SA’s batters, the Scorpions remain winless in the WNCL after a three-wicket loss to ACT Meteors.
In a close game of one-day cricket at Karen Rolton Oval on Tuesday, a batting collapse and a few lapses of concentration in the field, sealed the Scorps’ fates.
SA went into the game desperate for a win after losing to reigning champions NSW on Sunday and would have been heartened by opener Bridget Patterson’s assured knock of 81 (123 balls), which came despite a patch of blurred vision in the opening overs.
Meanwhile stand-in captain and opening partner, McGrath, took until the fourth over to get off the mark, but then compiled a measured 56 (74 balls) until a mistimed shot to mid-on had her caught by Carly Leeson.
McGrath’s wicket not only kickstarted something of a batting collapse — the home side lost their 10 wickets for 74 — but was the first of a remarkable six wickets for ACT medium-pace bowler Amy Yates.
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Yates, playing only her second game of WNCL after debuting against Victoria on Sunday, took 6/33 from 10 overs. At one point she found herself on a hat-trick after knocking over the middle stump of Amanda Wellington (11 runs) and then having Sam Betts stumped for a duck.
At this point, Yates almost single-handedly had the Scorp batters on the ropes at 7/184. Six overs later — and after such a promising start — Ellen Falconer hit to long on and was caught by Erin Osborne. The Scorpions were all out for 203.
In reply, ACT got off to a flyer with openers Katie Mack and Claire Koski piling on 43 runs in the first seven overs for a ripping run rate of 6.14.
From here, though, the Scorpion bowlers tightened up and over the next seven overs, the pair added only 11 runs. When Koski played a Suzie Bates ball to short fine leg, she was run out after superb fielding from Betts and the visitors were 1/76.
Another run out followed shortly when Mack and Madeline Penna decided to capitalise on a Scorp fielding error, but didn’t factor in McGrath’s aim and were left to rue that decision with Penna walking back to the KRO pavilion.
Mack who last month was announced as a new recruit for the Adelaide Strikers in the upcoming WBBL — showed why Strikers fans should be excited after she hit 83 (125 balls) before she was bowled by Bates.
But the bowlers couldn’t knock over middle-order batter Erica Kershaw, who made a matchwinning 52 (53) and sealed the win with a boundary in the 47th over. ACT were 7/204. Mack would have been player of the match had it not been for Yates’ impressive figures. The Scoprions are left to lick their wounds with no wins from their first two games.