Aussie international form

The first seven games of the WNCL have been played and New South Wales, ACT and Western Fury have all won both their games. These three look like the strongest outfits in the competition.

Queensland, Vic Spirit and Tasmania have all lost theirs, and Tasmania and Vic Spirit in particular look to be struggling. South Australia picked up one win against Tasmania having lost their opening fixture to Western Fury.

Here is how the Aussie contracted players and some of the hopefuls got on this weekend. Some decent form with the bat, but the form of the pace bowlers in particular must still be a great concern. The Aussie Ashes squad is due to be announced next week.

IN FORM

Nicole Bolton (WA) 
125* & 6-0-47-0 (v SA);
3-0-12-1 & 93* (v TAS)
Not sure she could have made a better start, but maybe leave the bowling to others? SA and TAS not the strongest two teams in the WNCL this year. November fixtures (NSW & ACT) will be tougher, but the Ashes will be done by then.

Elyse Villani (WA) 
139 (v SA);
10 (v TAS)
Good runs for Villani too against South Australia, but missed out against Tasmania, which kind of sums her up - inconsistent.

Rachael Haynes (NSW) 
103 (v QLD);
83 (v VIC)
Won't have done her confidence any harm at all, but an opening attacks of Johnson & Hill for QLD and Vlaeminck & Brennan for VIC are not desperately intimidating.

Amanda Jade Wellington (SA) 
5-0-50-1 & 116 (v WA);
8-1-43-2 & 0* (v TAS)
Poor day with the ball against WA, but made up for it with her maiden WNCL 100, albeit in a losing cause. Picked up a couple of late wickets v a poor TAS side.

FAIR to MIDDLING

Molly Strano (VIC) 
10-1-39-3 & 36* (v ACT);
10-1-39-3 & 5 (v NSW)
Identical figures with the ball on both days against two decent sides. Got Haynes, Perry and Stalenberg v NSW, so decent wickets. Batted very slowly against ACT (36 off 64 balls), which made no sense chasing only 203. VIC lost by 30 runs?

Beth Mooney (QLD) 
73 (v NSW);
1 (v ACT)
Nice start against NSW, but then out to her eight ball v ACT to Sam Bates caught behind. Nervy times for her in first ODI.

Ellyse Perry (NSW) 
9-1-37-3 & 17 (v QLD);
30 & 7-0-23-1 (v VIC)
Steady stuff from Perry, but Aussies will need more from her. Perhaps she was saving herself for England?

Alex Blackwell (NSW) 
6 (v QLD);
77 (v VIC)
Got some runs under her belt v VIC which will have been pleasing, including three 6s (two off Sophie Molineux).

Alyssa Healy (NSW) 
5 (v QLD);
68 (v VIC)
As with Blackwell, she put a score on the board against VIC, opening the batting. Probably would have liked to go on and make it a big one though.

Kristen Beams (VIC) 
10-0-32-0 & 17* (v ACT);
10-0-52-5 & 1* (v NSW)
Rescued her weekend with four late wickets v NSW as they tried to accelerate from 273/2, but will be looking over her shoulder at Wellington's performance with ball AND bat. Skippered her team to two disappointing defeats.

Sophie Molineux (VIC) 
10-2-33-1 & 50 (v ACT);
10-0-64-0 & 62 (v NSW)
Decent time opening the batting for VIC against both ACT and NSW, but not much to write home about with the ball. Could be pushing for Ashes squad selection and could even oust Jonassen as the left arm spin option?

NOT SO HOT

Jess Jonassen (QLD)
15 & 8.1-0-42-0 (v NSW);
10-1-40-2 & 8 (v ACT)
Jonassen's batting seems to have nosedived over the last year or so. She was once regarded as decent middle order but now seems to be struggling. Picked up Dane van Niekerk v ACT, but she already had 61 by then and ACT over 200. Under pressure from Molineux.

Ash Gardner (SA) 
9-1-44-0 & 34 (v WA);
10-1-24-1 & 7* v (TAS)
Has moved to SA for this season. Struggled with the ball against a decent WA batting line up, but did better against a weak TAS team. Batting - jury is still out!

Megan Schutt (SA) 
10-1-76-0 & 5 (v WA);
7-1-17-1 (v TAS)
Has not looked the swing bowler she used to be, but the Aussies will almost certainly have to play her. Could be a key Ashes' battle.

STRUGGLING

Belinda Vakarewa (NSW) 
9-0-38-1 (v QLD);
did not play v VIC
Aussies have put a lot of resources into Vakarewa, but are yet to see the reward. Not selected for NSW's second game of the weekend. Not ideal as far as Australia are concerned.

Lauren Cheatle (NSW) 
did not play v QLD;
7-0-31-0 (v VIC)
Did not play in NSW's first game and came up wicketless in the second. Not sure if she is ready to be thrown back onto the international stage, but the Aussies may have no other choice.

Sarah Aley (NSW) 
4-0-28-0 (v QLD);
7-0-40-0 (v VIC)
Struggled. Cannot really be in the selectors' minds for the Ashes series.

MD
08/X/17