CRICKET

By TOM HAYES

 

LOCAL cricket export Nicole Faltum featured in back-to-back wins for the Melbourne Renegades in the Women’s Big Bash League at the weekend.

The Renegades needed to bounce back, following defeat in their opening game of the season against Brisbane Heat.

First, the Renegades welcomed Perth Scorchers to Junction Oval last Saturday, with the visitors winning the toss and electing to bat.

In the field, Faltum claimed two catches behind the stumps. First to go was Mikayla Hinkley for 20 (16), who was beginning to look dangerous with four boundaries. Faltum’s second catch collected the wicket of Lilly Mills for a golden duck toward the end of the innings.

The Scorchers posted 140.

In return, a monster opening stand from Hayley Matthews (41) and Courtney Webb (61) held the Renegades in good stead, reaching 102 before Webb’s wicket was taken.

Faltum wasn’t required to bat as her teammates picked up the remaining runs in the final 10 overs, doing do with 14 balls to spare.

There wasn’t much time to dwell on the victory, as the Renegades met the Adelaide Strikers at Junction Oval the following day.

The Strikers won the toss and elected to bat, perhaps not taking note of what happened the previous day.

Despite only making 5/157, the visitors had at least faced their allotted 20 overs. Faltum wasn’t required in the field, with only two catches taken in the outfield for the entire team.

It was slim pickings in the Renegades’ chase, with no one making more than 20 until captain Sophie Molineaux got to the crease. She smashed 64 from 32 balls, including 12 boundaries (three sixes, nine fours).

Following her wicket at 7/139, plenty of work was still to do in the final four overs in the match as Faltum entered the fray.

Faltum, who usually bats higher up the order, remained cool and composed as the Renegades fought closer to the winning total, but it came down to the death.

With six needed from the final over, Faltum had it all to do. A dot ball from the first delivery just increased the pressure, but two runs restored parity after the next delivery.

Faltum then played a reverse sweep, going for glory to the unattended third-man boundary, but mistimed to only grab a single. Faltum returned to the strike with the next ball, to face the last two of the innings.

Going for glory once again, Faltum mistimed the incoming ball and was nearly bowled, then stumped. Nonetheless, it came down to the last ball.

Some excellent bowling for the Strikers had brought the game to the final delivery, with the Renegades requiring two runs, and Faltum on strike.

She slapped the ball straight down the ground, almost stopped by the bowler’s foot, setting the fielders off on a chase. As they retuned for the second run, the ball was only being sent to the wicket as she got home with time to spare to claim another win for the Renegades.

 

YES, Peter Siddle still plays professional cricket.

The Morwell native was included in Victoria’s latest Sheffield Shield side with a sweep of players on national duty for Australia A. Nonetheless, he has shown that he has still got it, at least at Shield level.

Siddle turns 40 later this month and was signed by Victoria not only for his ability, but also in a mentor role to help the up and coming youth throughout the squad. This time around he was needed for his ability.

Coming up against South Australia, Victoria captain Will Sutherland elected to field after winning the toss, putting Siddle straight into the action.

An intense slog to start the game saw South Australia defend their wickets well, but once Siddle got going, he produced havoc at the top of the order.

After finishing the 30th over, Victoria had South Australia 1/62. Siddle was given the ball ahead of the 31st over, and it didn’t start according to plan, with Daniel Drew slapping him for four.

Siddle clearly didn’t take that lightly, as he saw the back of Drew with the next delivery, snicking one to Sam Harper behind the stumps.

Jake Lehmann, the son of former Australian coach, Darren, came to the crease. He didn’t last long, two balls in fact, becoming Siddle’s next victim, this time for a second-ball duck. All of a sudden, South Australia’s score read 3/66 in a matter of minutes.

Siddle also claimed the wicket of Liam Scott toward the end of the innings, bowling him, leaving the score 8/260. Scott was a massive part of South Australia’s middle order dominance, making 53 (82).

In the final 20 overs of its innings, South Australia scored another 40-odd runs to finish on 307. Siddle finished with figures 3/57 off 23 overs with nine maidens.

Victoria weren’t as composed in the middle order as South Australia, despite a fantastic innings from Harper, leading the way with 89.

Siddle made 10 batting at number nine, with Harper, momentarily. Victoria’s first innings soon came to an end, 75 runs short of South Australia’s total, as they took to the field once again.

This time around, Siddle crashed through the South Australia top order, claiming the early scalps of Henry Hunt in the third over for a second-ball duck, caught behind by Harper, then 10 overs later, he got Drew again, this time for 23 via the same method as the first innings.

At 2/50, some wickets were needed thick and fast, as South Australia’s lead already exceeded 100 runs.

Siddle had the third wicket 15 overs later, while some more damage was done. He trapped Conor McInerney in front of his stumps, sending him packing for 39. Now the South Australian lead was beyond 150.

He wasn’t done there, claiming the fourth wicket, and his seventh of the match, enticing South Australia captain Alex Carey who edged behind on 42.

Siddle finished with figures of 4/63 off 18 overs, as South Australia declared at 9/270 – a lead of 345.

At the time of print, Victoria had started their second innings, and was 0/9 at stumps on Day 3.