Under-19s women’s country cricket championships: Wrap, results, standouts
There were huge swings in momentum, a crucial rain delay and a collapse for the ages of the under-19s country championship was decided in a thriller.
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The representative cricket season has kicked off, with the women’s under-19s country championships opening proceedings for the 2024/25 season.
In a revamped tournament, the eight zones have been condensed into four larger regions, with the Northern Stars, New Coasters, Southern NSW and South West battling it out for the title as games take place in Woolgoolga and Sawtell on the NSW Mid-North Coast.
After the opening round of play was washed out, the teams returned for two T20 fixtures each on Monday and one 50-over match on Tuesday, before the New Coasters and South West battled it out in the final on Wednesday.
Catch up with a wrap of the action below.
NEW COASTERS CLAIM COUNTRY CROWN
The New Coasters have been crowned the best in the bush after defeating South West in the final of the women’s under-19s country cricket championships.
In a rain-affected final, the combined Newcastle and Central Coast side fought its way to 7-189 from its 50 overs, thanks to some determined lower-order batting, before putting on a stunning late bowling display to restrict its opponents to 9-144.
“One of the things we talked about at the start of week was just competing the whole time,” New Coasters coach Tom Anderson.
“Win, lose or draw, as long as we’re competing, we’d have been happy. We got off to a bit of a shaky start, we lost one of the young girls in the first over, but the key was always going to be around how many partnerships we could have and they just built and built and built.
“We wanted a total of 200 but to get to 190 after losing a wicket in the first over was a fantastic effort.”
While the squad had several key contributors, the coach paid tribute to some of the team’s leaders over the course of the week.
“We’ve got some superstars, which brought us together, and then everyone else filled in around them,” said Anderson. “Kate McTaggart, Eliza Thompson and Ava Drury sort of led the way and everybody else did their job.”
In a tight contest that looked like it could go either way for much of the game, the rain break proved to be a pivotal moment.
South West was very well placed at 2-107 in the 26th over before play was stopped for more than an hour.
And while the team – made up of Western and Riverina zones – was on top in the contest going into the sheds, it was a completely different story after the resumption of play, with the New Coasters taking an incredible 8-30 in 11 overs to storm home and claim the title.
While everything the New Coasters touched turned to gold, nothing seemed to go right for South West, who also had star batter Callee Black retire hurt on 38 shortly after coming back out to play.
“The big turning point was when poor Callee Black injured herself. She did her hammy quite badly,” said Anderson. “That was the turning point. She was the key.
“We sat down at the break when the rain arrived, just to work out how we were gonna keep her off strike. She was batting so well, there was nothing really we could do except limit her ability to score big runs.”
And while the New Coasters planned to reduce her impact, South West’s star player pulled her hamstring after taking off for a quick single.
“She pulled up like she’d been shot by a sniper,” said Anderson. “It was quite awful to watch. I really felt sorry for her, she’s such a lovely girl. It would have been a really close game and would have gone down to the wire otherwise. We can only wish her the best because it looked quite nasty.”
With Black back in the sheds, the New Coasters well and truly took control of the contest and ran away with the game.
“Then we just rolled through them. As soon as she came off, it was like the floodgates had opened: we bowled a few, there were a few run-outs as well,” said Anderson.
The win capped off a perfect tournament for the winners, who won all four games over the course of the week.
The victory also proved to a back-to-back title of sorts for the Central Coast players in the victorious squad, with Country Cricket NSW choosing to combine the teams and play four larger regions against each other instead of the traditional eight zones in this year’s tournament.
“They wanted to try and lift the quality and standard of the competition, which I probably think they did a little bit,” said Anderson. “It might take three or four years to actually get the result they want, but I think we’re on the right track.”
He added: “It was an interesting week. There were some different personalities and abilities and the way they played, so it was good fun trying to mesh it all together.”
After winning the toss and electing to bat, the New Coasters got off to a tricky start as openers Sophie Clune and Molly Dare were dismissed cheaply.
However Kate McTaggart and Emily Humphreys combined at the crease to start building the innings. McTaggart in particular looked in good touch, hitting nine boundaries as she brought up her half-century and the pair took the score beyond 90.
Just as the team looked to ram home its ascendancy, McTaggart was dismissed for 51. The wicket triggered a collapse, with the team losing 4-9 to all of a sudden be struggling at 6-111.
Coming out to the crease in a similar situation to Tuesday’s final round clash against the same team, Eliza Thompson (36*) combined with Ava Drury (17) to once again rescue the innings with a partnership of 41, before adding another 37 with Layla Graham (20*) to push her side to a string total of 7-189.
Evelyn Niedzwiedzki was the pick of the bowlers for South West, finishing with figures of 3-15, while Holly Reed, Callee Black and Maddison Spence were also impressive.
With a solid chase ahead of it, South West made a strong start, with openers Ella Tilburg (14) and Spence (32) laying the platform for the side.
The pair put on 38 for the first wicket while the team passed 100 having lost just two wickets, with Black and Simran Dhatt taking over to from the openers.
However the rain break proved to be a major turning point.
Madison Kedwell knocked over Dhatt (12) and Ellen Dolbel (0) in the same over not long after the restart, and from here it was all one-way traffic.
Full of confidence, the New Coasters pulled off some excellent fielding and accurate bowling to ensure that they skittled through the lower order to set up a thrilling win.
New Coasters 7-189 (McTaggart 51, Thompson 36*; Niedzwiedzki 3-15) defeated South West 9-144 (Black 38*, Spence 32; Kedwell 2-12, Drury 2-30) via DLS method
SOUTHERN ENDS ON A HIGH
The team might have had a difficult tournament to date, but Southern NSW finished its country championship campaign on a high after recording a crushing 123-run victory over the Northern Stars at the Clive Joass Memorial Sports Park in Woolgoolga.
After having struggled with the bat throughout the week, the team almost doubled its previous high score to chalk up a total of 7-172 from its 50 overs, before putting on a brilliant bowling display to bowl the Stars out for just 49.
Middle-order batter Nicola Hudson top scored with a composed 38 from 71 balls, while Amelia Valdez (21) and Neve Wallace (20) also got starts in what was a far better team display.
Taking a more patient approach to its 50-over innings, Southern was rewarded for batting out its overs with the second-highest team total of the tournament.
It was a huge improvement on the 90 the team was bowled out for in Tuesday’s clash against the same opponents.
While rolling Southern cheaply just one day earlier, it was a far tougher day in the field for the Stars, with no player taking more than one wicket.
In response, Northern got off to a disastrous start, with star batter Sophie Parsons dismissed by Keisha Baldwin for a duck in just the third ball of the innings.
It didn’t get any better for the Stars, who slumped to 4-9 and then 6-20 on the back of some brilliant bowling from the Southern attack.
Baldwin continued her excellent tournament with the ball with two quick wickets, while Natalia Egan, Cadence Waters and Ebony Winston all got in on the action.
And while the lower order showed a little more resolve, not one player reached double figures as the Southern attack put on a clinic.
In a fantastic team bowling performance, six Southern players took wickets, with Taleha Urszulak (2-3) and Baldwin (2-10) finishing with the best figures.
Southern NSW 7-172 (Hudson 29, Valdez 21; Leonard 1-8) defeated Northern Stars 10-49 (Krake 9*; Urszulak 2-3, Baldwin 2-10) by 123 runs
DAY THREE WRAP
BIG GUNS IN DRESS REHEARSAL THRILLER
The New Coasters have landed first bragging rights ahead of the country championships final after defeating South West by 11 runs in a thrilling top-of-the-table clash on Tuesday.
With both sides already having qualified for Wednesday’s final, the combined Newcastle and Central Coast team was bowled out for 153 in the 49th over of its innings.
After a tricky start that saw the team fall to 3-32, Emily Humphreys helped steady the ship with a patient 33 from 73 balls, while 18 from Layla Graham and a crucial 23 not out from 59 balls from Eliza Thompson dragged the team to a defendable total.
Simran Dhatt was far and away the best with the ball for South West, ripping through the middle and lower order to finish with the impressive figures of 4-15.
She was well supported by Holly Reed, who took 2-19, and the extremely economical opening pair of Callee Black and Alice Caldow, who both picked up one wicket each and went for less than two runs an over.
In reply, South West made a difficult start, losing early wickets to fall to 3-35 and then 4-50 under pressure from the New Coasters bowling attack.
With the team struggling, middle-order batters Ellen Dolbel and Lucy Melis took a leaf out of their opponents’ book with a steady and patient approach to stabilise the innings.
The pair put on 49 or the fifth wicket before Melis was bowled by Wharton for 17. It proved to be the first of a double blow for the side with Dolbel dismissed shortly after for 22 from 57 balls to once again leave South West struggling at 6-92.
While Ella Tilburg worked well with the tail to get the team within striking distance, the excellent bowling of Ava Drury (4-24) and Emily Humphreys (2-10) ultimately proved to be too much as South West was bowled out for 142 to hand the New Coasters a crucial win ahead of Wednesday’s final between the two teams.
New Coasters 10-153 (Humphreys 33, Thompson 23*; Dhatt 4-15, Reed 2-19) defeated South West 10-142 (Dolbel 22, Melis 17; Drury 4-24, Humphreys 2-10) by 11 runs
NORTHERN EDGE SOUTHERN TO GET ON THE BOARD
The Northern Stars have recorded their first win of the competition after an excellent bowling performance set up a 20-run victory over Southern NSW.
After a difficult day with the bat to open the tournament, history appeared to be repeating itself for the Stars, who slumped to 7-64 at one stage as Southern quicks Keisha Baldwin and Natalia Egan had a field day.
However with her team in serious trouble, Northern’s Bonnie Crimson put on a remarkable display to keep the Stars in match.
Batting with the tail, Crimson put on 44 from 87 balls – more than all her teammates combined – to push her side to 110 before it was bowled out in the 34th over.
With the ball, Baldwin 3-12 was the pick of the bowlers, while Nicola Hudson (2-9) and Egan (2-18) were also impressive.
While only chasing a small total, Southern NSW got off to a terrible start, with the first seven failing to reach double figures as the team fell to 6-27.
It was a wonderful bowling performance from the Northern Stars, with Georgia Davidson, Georgie Leonard, Monique Krake and Sophie Parsons all getting among the wickets.
Although Southern was in deep trouble, Tahlia Pracy and Cadence Waters started the fightback.
With plenty of overs to spare, the pair took their time and gradually accumulated runs to push the team beyond 80 and within striking distance of pulling off an unlikely win.
However just as the team was looking more comfortable, disaster struck, with Pracy run out for a well-made 25 from 76 balls.
Two overs later Waters was stumped by Ava Ryan for 17 to give Parsons her second wicket, before Parsons finished the job by taking the final wicket to seal a 20-run win.
Northern Stars 10-110 (Crimson 44, Parsons 14; Baldwin 3-12, Hudson 2-9) defeated Southern NSW 10-90 (Pracey 25, Waters 17; Parsons 3-14, Leonard 2-13) by 20 runs
DAY TWO WRAP
NEW COASTERS SET THE PACE
In what is a new junior representative format with just four teams instead of eight, the combined Newcastle and Central Coast side – the New Coasters – has emerged as the team to beat after a blistering opening to the tournament.
In a dominant day of cricket, the New Coasters were ruthless with twin eight-wicket victories against Southern NSW and the Northern Stars to go top with a remarkable quotient of 5.069.
In fact, the wins followed a very similar script.
Bowling first in both games, the New Coasters attack ripped through their opponents’ respective batting line-ups, cleaning up Southern NSW for just 65 inside 18 overs and then knocking over the Northern Stars for 79.
The team then made light work of the chases, cruising past the totals in the 14th over of both games to rack up big wins.
Opening bowler Madison Kedwell was the chief destroyer in the first game, picking up two early wickets before finishing with figures of 3-10, while left-arm spinner Ava Drury was impressive with 2-7 and Felicity Wharton came on to clean up the tail and claim figures of 3-17.
In the evening fixture, it was Cosette Thomas who did the damage, picking up a remarkable 4-13 from four overs, while Drury continued her strong day with another two wickets.
With the bat, the New Coasters’ openers were just as impressive as their bowlers, with Molly Dare (33* and 16) and Kate McTaggart (16 and 27*) making the small chases look easy.
SOUTH WEST GO UNDEFEATED
While the New Coasters took much of the headlines, the South West team, which is made up of the Western and Riverina zones, also went through its first two games undefeated with an impressive day of cricket.
Kicking off its campaign against Southern NSW, South West got off to a strong start with top-order batters Maddison Spence (22) and Callee Black (17) helping to build a platform. And while the team suffered somewhat of a middle- and lower-order collapse, Holly Reed guided the team to a competitive total 7-208 from its 20 overs with a 21 not out from 21 balls.
Reed then picked up with the ball exactly where she left off with the bat, snaring two early wickets to put her side right on top.
When teammate Lillian Harrison chimed in with a wicket, Southern was in deep trouble. The skies started to look as dark as Southern’s chances, and when the heavens opened, the team was on 3-18 from 5.4 overs. The rain didn’t abate and South West was awarded the victory visa the DLS method.
While rain interrupted the first game, South West left no doubt as to the result in the second, demolishing the Northern Stars with a seven-wicket victory that saw the side go past its rival’s total with more than five overs to spare.
After losing the toss and being handed the ball, South West faced some stubborn resistance as Stars’ openers Samira Mitchell (14) and Sophie Parsons (21) got their team off to a strong start.
However South West soon found some success by taking four quick wickets to reduce Northern to 4-38.
And while Stars’ all-rounder Monique Krake scored a stubborn 19 in the middle order, her team struggled to find the gaps and finished its 20 overs on 8/90.
It was an excellent team bowling performance for South West, with five players taking one wicket each and Harrison picking up bowling honours with 2-19.
In reply, South West never looked seriously in trouble, with Ella Tilburg putting in a day-high score of 35 from 39 balls to chew through the total, before an impressive unbeaten 25 from Black saw the team complete the chase with 5.2 overs remaining.
LEARNING CURVE FOR NORTHERN STARS, SOUTHERN
While the New Coasters and South West got off to a flyer, it was a tough opening to the competition for the Northern Stars and Southern NSW, with both sides losing their opening two games of the tournament.
For Southern, which incorporates the Greater Illawarra and Southern Districts zones, the team was dealt a difficult hand in the opening game as rain stopped its chase of 108 short at 3-18 in just the sixth over as the team lost via the DLS method.
However the side was handed a heavy defeat in its second game, losing by eight wickets to the New Coasters, who passed Southern’s total of 65 with six overs to spare.
While the team struggled with the bat, the likes of Keisha Baldwin, Natalia Egan and Taleha Urszulak all showed glimpses of what they can do with a ball by picking up two wickets each.
It was a similar story for the Northern Stars, who were on the receiving end of two heavy defeats to kick off their tournament.
Despite getting off to solid start in the first match against South West, with openers Samira Mitchell (14) and Sophie Parsons (21) building a solid platform for the team, and Monique Krake (19) trying to hold together the middle order, the team was ultimately restricted to 8-90 from its 20 overs.
Things weren’t any better with the ball, with South West racing past the target with seven wickets in the shed and more than five overs to spare.
Despite the heavy loss, Siaan Carman was impressive, picking up 3-8 from three overs.
There was a sense of deja vu in the evening game as the Stars took on a red-hot New Coasters side.
And while Parsons once again top scored with 24, Northern was bowled out for just 79.
Defending a small total, the Stars struggled to make any inroads into the New Coasters line-up, taking just two wickets as the Hunter-Central Coast side raced through to win the game in just the 14th over.
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