Women's National Cricket League

Smith hat-trick star turn in Victoria double

Cricinfo staff

November 25, 2007

Clea Smith's five wickets, including a hat-trick, helped Victoria sink Western Australia in the opening match in Perth on Saturday and victory for them on Sunday too helped them to the double. In the opener, Mel Jones and Rachael Haynes boosted Victoria to 4 for 239, each reaching fifties in an opening stand of 139, before Smith came in to knock the Fury over for 142. She took the first two wickets, then Angele Gray was run out, to leave them in trouble at 3 for 11. Nicole Bolton and Jenny Wallace gave them some hope with a stand of 85 but Smith had the final say with her hat-trick of Renee Chappell, Charlotte Horton and Joanne Wilson as they won by 97 runs. She ended with 5 for 10 from eight overs.

Victoria batted first in the second time again on Sunday - this time by choice - and on this occasion they reached 191, an innings built around Kelly Applebee's 54. They then bowled out Western Australia for 149 at the WACA, to win by 42 runs. Again Smith's bowling was important, her 2 for 15 from 9.5 overs completing a solid weekend of bowling, returning 7 for 25 from 17.5 overs. Julie Hunter and Jane Franklin backed her up with two wickets each.

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