The players to watch and top performers from Premier Cricket Women’s
We’ve got your comprehensive Premier Cricket Women’s semi-final preview with players to watch and the season’s top performers across all three grades.
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Finals have arrived in Premier Cricket Women’s.
We’ve compiled a comprehensive preview of the semi-finals across all three grades.
Plus, the top performers with bat and ball.
Check out the players to watch in every match across the weekend and who has the edge with a premiership within reach.
MAJOR SEMI-FINAL
ESSENDON MARIBYRNONG PARK v CARLTON
Sunday, February 19 at Aberfeldie Park
LAST TIME: Essendon Maribyrnong Park (148) def by Carlton (4-150) at Princes Park, Round 13
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Madison Albers
The third-leading wicket-taker in Premier Cricket with 20 scalps, Albers will be a handful on the pacey Aberfeldie Park pitch. Took 2-15 from 10 overs last time the Blues met the Bombers showing she can be economical as well as a wicket-taking threat.
Mia Gordon
The youngster has stepped into the EMP First XI seamlessly after starting the season in the Second XI. Scored a 60 not out in her first T20 and took that form into the one-dayers, scoring 28 against Dandenong and a critical 26 in the successful run chase against Prahran.
Erica Kershaw
The Carlton skipper led her team to victory against EMP in Round 13 with an unbeaten 55 and will be looking for something similar again on Sunday. Has been a bit of feast or famine for Kershaw with the bat this season so if she can get a start it usually turns into a strong score.
Makinley Blows
The EMP skipper is a match-winner with bat and/or ball. The second-leading run-scorer in Premier Cricket this season with 433 runs at 48.11 and also has 10 wickets at 16.70. Scored just eight last time against Carlton so an improved showing will be integral to the Bombers’ hopes of victory.
Eve Sheehan
Has struggled with the bat the last couple of weeks and the Blues will be hoping she can turn her form around coming into finals. With Kira Chathli returning to England, Sheehan comes into the match as Carlton’s leading run-scorer for the season. Managed just three last time against the Bombers.
Katia Jomini
The No.1 wicket-taker in Premier Cricket with 22 poles for the campaign. The young spinner has only gone wicketless twice this season and both times were against Carlton – both at Princes Park, read into that what you will. While not all home games have been at Aberfeldie Park, 17 of Jomini’s wickets have come in home games.
VERDICT: Both teams will be missing key players with the likes of EMP pair Sam Bates and Milly Illingworth and Blue Sophie Reid on state duty and Carlton’s leading run-scorer Kira Chathli having returned to England. The Bombers come into the game full of confidence after chasing down 230 against Prahran on Sunday, while the Blues have beaten EMP and Dandenong in the past fortnight. With EMP missing Bates and Illingworth, Carlton’s attack might just give it the edge as the likes of Albers, Bridie Groves and Ella Baulch have been consistent threats with the ball.
MINOR SEMI-FINAL
BOX HILL v MELBOURNE
Sunday, February 19 at Box Hill City Oval
LAST TIME: Box Hill (116) def Melbourne (92) at Schramms Reserve, Round 13
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Anna O’Donnell
O’Donnell leads a strong Melbourne pace attack that has three players in the top-10 wicket-takers. O’Donnell leads the way with 18 scalps at 16.67. Took 1-29 last time against Box Hill so will be hoping to have more of an impact to keep her club’s premiership hopes alive.
Isabel White
Tore Melbourne to shreds in their last meeting, claiming a match-winning 5-22 from 10 overs. White removed five of the Demons’ top-six in a dominant display and will be looking to repeat those heroics on Sunday.
Teagan Parker
The Melbourne skipper has been a rock at the top of the order this season, scoring 235 runs at 33.57 with half centuries against Dandenong, Essendon Maribyrnong Park and Plenty Valley last weekend so comes into the match in strong form.
Vaishnavi Munukutla
Played just seven one-day matches but leads Box Hill with 13 wickets at 14.46. Takes wickets in bags, having hauls of four wickets once and three twice so Melbourne can’t afford to let her get her tail up. Picked up seven wickets at 11.86 in the Marg Jennings Cup as well.
Hasrat Gill
One of only three players to feature in the top-15 run-scorers and wicket-takers along with Dandenong pair Linsey Smith and Poppy Gardner. The Demons phenom has 230 runs at 28.75 and 16 wickets at 18.6 this season. Finished the Marg Jennings Cup campaign with 161 runs at 53.7 and six wickets in four games too.
Anna Lanning
Despite playing just the six one-day games this season, Lanning still sits fifth on the competition’s run-scoring charts with 276 at an average of 46.00. Had a mid-season purple patch that delivered scores of 55, 51 (T20), 73 and 97 but scored just 12 in the most recent clash against Melbourne.
VERDICT: There are teams that just know how to win and Box Hill has shown that this season despite scoring the fewest runs and taking the fewest wickets among the top-four teams. The Mustangs finished the home-and-away campaign in third and scored a strong win over Melbourne just a couple of weeks ago. However, if the Demons can bring their best on the day then you’d fancy them to get the job done.
BEST PERFORMERS
SECOND XI
SEMI-FINAL
MELBOURNE v ESSENDON MARIBYRNONG PARK
Sunday, February 19 at Albert Ground
LAST TIME: Essendon Maribyrnong Park (185) def by Melbourne (5-186) at Beaumaris SC, Round 11
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Limansa Thilakarathna
Melbourne has taken wickets for fun this season with four of the top-five bowlers in the competition. Thilakarathna finished the home-and-away season on top of the pile with 23 wickets at 12.74, pipping teammate Felicity Leighton (21). Took season-best figures of 4-39 last time she played EMP.
Yasmin Welsford
EMP’s leading run-scorer comes into the match after a couple of low scores but is more than capable of producing a match-winning knock. The Bombers will need just that if they are to knock off the minor premier.
SEMI-FINAL
GEELONG v CARLTON
Sunday, February 19 at Geelong Cricket Ground
LAST TIME: Geelong (8-226) def Carlton (7-138) at Geelong Cricket Ground, Round 17
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Stefanie Townsend
Enjoyed a stellar season that returned 333 runs at an average of 47.57, good enough for third most in the competition. Townsend comes into the match in strong form having scored 60 against Carlton and 84 not out against EMP in the last fortnight.
Gemma Boyd
The young gun produced her best when it was most needed to secure Carlton’s place in the finals. Boyd scored her maiden century, scoring 124 against Prahran, in the final round to lift her team to third place. Finishes the season as the competition’s second-leading run-scorer with 405 at 45.00.
BEST PERFORMERS
THIRD XI
SEMI-FINAL
CARLTON v ESSENDON MARIBYRNONG PARK
Sunday, February 19 at Princes Park
LAST TIME: Essendon Maribyrnong Park (7-180) def by Carlton (3-181) at Aberfeldie Park, Round 16
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Issy Boulton
In the Round 16 win over EMP, the Blues wicketkeeper walked to the crease at 2-28 before a 138-run stand with and finished the match unbeaten on 64 to guide her team home. Only made her season debut the week before, scoring 64 against Dandenong, and made an important 24 in the final round against Geelong.
Natalie Grero
The captain has enjoyed an outstanding season with bat and ball, leading EMP in both categories. Grero scored 202 runs and took 13 wickets to rank 11th and eighth respectively in the competition. Finished with 57 not out and 0-28 last time against Carlton.
SEMI-FINAL
GEELONG v MELBOURNE
Sunday, February 19 at Kardinia Park
LAST TIME: Melbourne (2-163) def Geelong (137) at Beaumaris SC, Round 8
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Yolanne Carvalho
The only woman to feature in the top-five run-scorers and wicket-takers in the competition, finishing the home-and-away season with 365 runs at 36.50 and 19 wickets at 8.95. Outstanding. Could well decide this match herself.
Grace Schrama
Geelong’s leading wicket-taker will be tasked with stopping Melbourne’s run-machines. Could be a surprise packet given she bowled just one and two overs against the Demons in their two meetings this season.
BEST PERFORMERS
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A Bundoora United bowler produced an against the odds match winning performance just days after running a marathon, while a Barclay Shield rival completed a 60-year first. It’s all in our DVCA talking points.
‘He just gets it done’: Dandenong’s glowing praise for young gun
Dandenong coach Tom Donnell has sung the praises of two star Panthers, including one he thinks could be making a historical start to his Premier Cricket career.