Under-14 VicSpirit State Championships begin

The VicSpirit Under-14 State Championships began yesterday with matches reduced to 15 overs a side due to the extreme heat.

Metropolitan North West played Metropolitan Northern and came away with a 15-run win. Eve Sheehan top scored for North West with 41 retired not out as they posted 4-95 from their 15 overs. In response, Northern made 4-80 as Ellie McKenzie top scored with 26.

Gippsland Pride began their campaign against South East Country and finished on 2-46. They lost by 10 wickets as South East Country eased their way to 47 in just six overs with Lucy Cripps making 30.

It was a low scoring match between Barwon and Central Highlands as Barwon won the toss and elected to bat and posted 21 runs as they lost eight wickets in their 15 overs.

Metropolitan West faced Metropolitan Outer South in their first match of the Championships and after winning the toss elected to bat. Skipper Scarlett Saxon-Jones and Sarah Jenkinson top scored each with 17 as they finished on 6-88 from their 15 overs. Alanah Mison was the pick of the bowlers with 2-10 from her three overs. Jessica Matin retired on 40 after holding Outer South’s innings together as regular wickets fell around her. Sahasni Wanigatunga was the only other batsmen to reach double figures and she finished unbeaten on 26 as they reached their target of 89 with five deliveries remaining to secure a four-wicket win. Zoe Anderton was the pick of the bowlers for Metropolitan South West taking 3-13 with each of the three batsmen she dismissed falling for nought.

Western Waves secured a 43-run win in their first outing in the U14 VicSpirit Championships as they took on Mallee Murray. The Waves batted first and despite only two batsmen making double figures – Ruby Lang and Ingrid Bellman – they posted 6-90 after 33 runs came through of extras. Kayla Bettess was the pick of the bowlers as she took 2-8 in her only over. In reply, Mallee Murray could muster only 4-47 as no batsman reached double figures though three made eight runs. Once again extras, on this occasion 22, was the top score for the innings.

It was an exciting match between CV Invitational XI and Metropolitan Outer East which resulted in a tie as both teams made 85. Outer East batted first and Lilly and April Darkin both retired on 10 and Grace Rogers top scored with 16 while extras contributed 28 runs to their total. Georgia Parker bowled two economical overs as she claimed 1-4. However, it was Outer East’s fielding which nearly secured a victory as five wickets fell as a result of run outs, two apiece to Rogers and Emily Sharkey.

North East Country secured an 18-run win over Northern Rivers after losing the toss and being asked to bat. Gabrielle Sutcliffe top scored with 22 while skipper Georgia Moorman and wicketkeeper Leela Rosser each made 13 as they posted 4-100. The early wicket of Tara Slender fell as she was bowled by Sutcliffe with the score on 10. This led to increased scoreboard pressure as Elsie Oliver was run out by Moorman and Rosser for a single off 19 deliveries. Despite a 45-run partnership between Mardie Hamilton and Letesha Bawden, Northern Rivers finished short on 5-82 with Bawden unbeaten on 22. Caitlan Klippel took 2-3 from her one over while Sutcliffe and Moorman took one apiece.

Metropolitan South East Bayside batted first in their Championship opener against Metropolitan Inner East and posted 5-62 from their 15 overs. Only opener Ava Bennett (10) made it to double figures and it was extras (35) which saw them finish on a score which could be defended. Kristy Arulrajah was the pick of the bowlers claiming 2-1 from her two overs. Inner East had little difficulty in negotiating their target as they won by 10 wickets after 11 overs. It was Arulrajah who starred once again as she made 35 and Hailey Ferris made 16.