6, 6, 6: Tahlia McGrath conjures stunning century in final-over thriller

Tahlia McGrath produced an astonishing finish at Karen Rolton Oval as she struck three consecutive sixes to both bring up her century and carry South Australia to victory after they had needed 15 from the last over. It meant that the earlier centuries from Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland, the latter’s first in domestic cricket, which formed an unbroken stand of 209 proved in vain.

McGrath and Emma de Broughe set the chase up with a second-wicket stand of 83, but Victoria stayed in the game by chipping through the middle order as Sophie Molineux and Sophie Day shared four wickets. But while McGrath was there her team were in the contest although needing 15 off Sutherland appeared a tall order until McGrath did it in style. Earlier, Perry had come to the crease in the first over after Molineux was given caught behind and batted throughout the innings although the final result did leave some questions about the tempo of Victoria’s innings. Perry ended on 117 from 143 balls while Sutherland reached her hundred with a six off McGrath at the start of the last over – McGrath would later repay the favour.

Nineteen-year-old Georgia Voll dominated at North Sydney Oval with a superbly-constructed 145 as Queensland secured a huge victory over New South Wales. Voll’s innings came in three stages: she led Queensland’s early momentum as the major contributor in an opening stand of 51, consolidated through the middle as she lost partners at reasonably regular intervals, then accelerated at the death with the scoop shot a regular option. The next-highest score was Laura Kimmince’s 35 which came off just 15 balls including three sixes and powered a mid-innings surge. Jess Jonassen (16) and Courtney Sippel (19 not out) then played useful cameos while Voll continued to lead the way. New South Wales were poor in the field and lost the services of Maitlan Brown in her fourth over after she was pulled from the after bowling three big full toss. The one bright spot was debutant Ebony Hoskin who claimed a wicket were first ball in WNCL – Georgia Redmayne smartly caught down the leg side by Alyssa Healy – and in all took the first three wickets to fall. NSW’s chase started promisingly as Healy and Tahlia Wilson added 54, but Healy nicked to slip – a leading edge as she aimed to the leg side – and when Wilson was run out in the 26th over the home side fell away.

Alana King started her season in the form she has shown for the last 12 months, taking 5 for 12 as Western Australia demolished ACT by eight wickets at the WACA. After an opening stand of 55 between Rebecca Carter and Katie Mack, ACT lost all ten wickets for 88 with six batters going for ducks – four of then against King. Carter, who struck ten boundaries in her 65, was the seventh wicket when she fell to Amy Edgar who claimed 2 for 23 from nine overs. Although Beth Mooney fell for 17 in her first innings for WA the chase was completed with ease as captain Chloe Piparo finishing unbeaten on 75.