Victoria’s Under-18s start with emphatic victory

Victoria posted 9-206 from their 50 overs, led by 79 from captain Sophie Molineux, and restricted NSW Metro to 106.

Makinley Blows, a rookie with the Melbourne Renegades, opened the batting alongside wicketkeeper Annabel Martin.

Victoria lost an early wicket with the score on 11 as Martin was dismissed for nought with the Sydney Thunder pairing of Belinda Vakarewa and Mikayla Hinkley combining to take the wicket with Vakarewa bowling and Hinkley completing the dismissal with a catch.

This brought the skipper to the crease who proved that batting first was a good decision, sharing an 86-run partnership with Blows.

It took a bowling change from NSW to break the second-wicket stand as Haylee Hoffmeister had Blows caught by Clara Lemma for 37.

Unfortunately, the next Victoria/Renegades partnership in Molineux and Georgia Wareham could only muster seven runs as Wareham was caught behind by Hannah Trethewy for four.

Hope Irvine joined her skipper but again it was a short-lived partnership as Irvine was bowled by Carly Leeson for four.

Number six, Tayla Vlaeminck, brought resistance and runs back to the Victorian side sharing a 55-run partnership with Molineux.

Molineux played a true captain’s knock making 79, including eight fours and contributing to some important partnerships before she was caught by Leeson off Yardley Polsen.

After sharing an important and fruitful partnership with her skipper, Vlaeminck took on the role of seeing out the innings as wickets continued to fall around her.

She finished on 23 not out as Victoria posted an impressive 9-206 from their 50 overs.

In response, NSW managed to do what Victoria could not – a strong opening stand.

Lemma and Day shared a 54-run partnership before a run out by Irvine saw an end to Day who departed for 15.

After trumping Victoria with their first-wicket partnership, NSW failed to build on their platform and saw a match determining collapse ensue.

Tight bowling and fielding from Victoria knocked over NSW for 106.

Rhiann O’Donnell was the pick of the bowlers taking 2-10 from her six overs while Molineux claimed 2-9 and Madeleine Wright also reaped the rewards for her efforts collecting 2-16 from her five overs

Victoria will look to repeat their performance as they face Queensland in the second round today.