Nandewar Motel and Dreamtime Mirri score round one victories as NDWCA competition begins

Narrabri District Women’s Cricket Association’s 2023 T20 campaign is underway following Saturday night’s round one matches, and it was the Nandewar Motel and Wahgunyah Dreamtime Mirri sides that started on the front foot with big wins.

Nandewar Motel challenged GFS Engineering at Collins Park and scored a nine-wicket win. GFS Engineering batted first in that game after winning the toss and made 1-70 in its 20 overs. Nandewar Motel then chased that down in 14 overs, having lost just one wicket.

At Hogan Oval, Wahgunyah Dreamtime Mirri took on defending champs Wilga Hotel and prevailed by eight wickets. Wahgunyah Dreamtime Mirri won the toss and sent Wilga Hotel into bat. The Wilga side made 98 runs before losing its final wicket in the 16th over, and then the Wahgunyah Dreamtime Mirri ladies chased down the required total in 17.3 overs.

There was some impressive cricket played on both fields as all four sides sought a positive start to the three-round regular season ahead of the March 4 grand final, which the two top-ranked sides will contest.

Nandewar Motel - back, Kym Capp, Kylie Finlay, Fiona Redfern, Vanessa Rose, Bec Cope, Clare Mead, Christina Watkins, Chloe Tough, front, Michelle O’Connor, Michelle Wheeler, Michaela Plata, Toni Laws, Sam Woolford and Candice Stang. Nandewar Motel - back, Kym Capp, Kylie Finlay, Fiona Redfern, Vanessa Rose, Bec Cope, Clare Mead, Christina Watkins, Chloe Tough, front, Michelle O’Connor, Michelle Wheeler, Michaela Plata, Toni Laws, Sam Woolford and Candice Stang.

Wahgunyah Dreamtime Mirri - back, Paula Trindall, Angie Knox, Anni Wenner, Zoe Watkins, Karen Baker, front, Carol Grant, Molly Welsh, Mackenzie Knox, Amanda Smith and Kimberley Laurie. Wahgunyah Dreamtime Mirri - back, Paula Trindall, Angie Knox, Anni Wenner, Zoe Watkins, Karen Baker, front, Carol Grant, Molly Welsh, Mackenzie Knox, Amanda Smith and Kimberley Laurie.

Wilga Hotel - back, Jo and Jade Hamilton, Sally Clarke, Tracy Hand, Jacki Ward, front, Jess Craig, Mereka Gleeson, Kate Johnston, Carmel Harvey, Louise Tout and Monique Houguet. Wilga Hotel - back, Jo and Jade Hamilton, Sally Clarke, Tracy Hand, Jacki Ward, front, Jess Craig, Mereka Gleeson, Kate Johnston, Carmel Harvey, Louise Tout and Monique Houguet.

GFS Engineering - back, Bec Armstrong, Mia Baker, Holly Field, Jane Fox, Katrina Fox, Lucy Suttor, Renae Chard, Dannika Schwager, front, Emma Rose, Sam Lubke-Wood, Alecia Tubner and Millie Adams. GFS Engineering - back, Bec Armstrong, Mia Baker, Holly Field, Jane Fox, Katrina Fox, Lucy Suttor, Renae Chard, Dannika Schwager, front, Emma Rose, Sam Lubke-Wood, Alecia Tubner and Millie Adams.

At Collins Park, GFS Engineering’s captain Alecia Tubner put her trust in Lucy Suttor and Millie Adams when she sent them into bat after winning the toss. The duo certainly delivered for their side, producing a 35-run partnership that lasted almost 11 overs.

Adams (18) was bowled by Sam Woolford four balls into the second half of the innings, which brought Bec Armstrong to the crease.

Suttor (18*) and Armstrong (11*) batted solidly and they both remained unbeaten after the final delivery of the innings had been bowled. It was a brilliant knock by Suttor, in particular, who lasted all 20 overs out in the middle.

Woolford was her side’s best with the ball as she took an economical 1-10 from four overs.

There was one maiden bowled in that innings, which was delivered by Bec Cope in the fourth over of the contest. Cope (0-10) opened the bowling for Nandewar Motel alongside Michelle Wheeler (0-13), and they got their side off to a positive start with economical four-over spells.

The GFS Engineering ladies then came out firing in the second innings. They restricted Nandewar Motel to just four runs in the first two overs before Sam Lubke-Wood struck with a wicket in the third over when she bowled Candice Stang (1).

However, the chasing side was able to regroup as Michaela Plata (42*) and Clare Mead (12*) produced a match-winning 66-run partnership to get their side over the line. The duo were unbeaten when their team reached the required total in the 14th over as the side secured a nine-wicket win.

In the other match at Hogan Oval, Angie Knox opened the bowling for Wahgunyah Dreamtime Mirri after she had won the toss and sent Wilga Hotel into bat.

Knox’s decision paid off early when she bowled openers Jacki Ward (0) and Kate Johnston (0), and Karen Baker bowled Monique Houguet (0) to make the score 3-5 after two overs.

Wilga Hotel, which won last year’s grand final playing as Green Machine, regrouped and showed exactly why they are the defending champions as they produced some impressive batting to reach 98 runs before losing their final wicket in the 16th over.

Mereka Gleeson top-scored for the side with 17 runs, while the team’s captain Carmel Harvey (15) and Jess Craig (13*) also made double-digit contributions late in the innings.

Baker was her side’s best with the ball with 4-11 from three overs. Knox (3-17 from 3.5 overs) also impressed, and the other three wickets were claimed by Kimberley Laurie (1-6 from one over), Mackenzie Knox (1-8 from one over) and a Zoe Watkins runout.

The chasing side came out firing as Wahgunyah Dreamtime Mirri scored at six an over in the first five overs to sit at 0-30 after just a quarter of the innings had been played.

Wilga Hotel skipper Harvey brought herself on to bowl the sixth over and that decision paid off as she bowled Mackenzie Knox (3) and Angie Knox (0) to make the score 2-37 after six overs.

That left opener Paula Trindall at the crease with Molly Welsh, and the duo produced a sensational 63-run partnership to guide their side to an eight-wicket win. Trindall top-scored with 31* and Welsh chipped in with 15*, while 51 extras helped the chasing side reach the required total in comfortable fashion.

All four sides will have this weekend off with a full competition bye before the campaign resumes on Saturday, February 18.

The round one winners will meet at Collins Park that night when the Wahgunyah Dreamtime Mirri takes on Nandewar Motel, while at Hogan Oval, the GFS Engineering and Wilga Hotel teams will go in search of their first wins of the season when they go head-to-head.