BROOKLYN Gibson and her powerhouse North teammates have unleashed a world of hurt on struggling Central to register a mammoth 138-run victory in their women’s Barrier District Cricket League round 7 encounter at Zinc Oval.With North perched at the top of the ladder and Central at the bottom, North won the toss and opted to bat first, taking advantage of the fact that Central was fielding only 10 players.
North’s innings got off to a strong start with Steph Alchin opening for the first time this season alongside the explosive Brooklyn Gibson.
With Central’s bowlers struggling to find their rhythm early on, North capitalised on the extras.
Alchin quickly found her groove, striking two boundaries in the first three overs. Gibson soon joined the attack, unleashing a flurry of shots that resulted in seven boundaries in just four overs. With Alchin expertly rotating the strike, North amassed a formidSave able score of 89 runs without loss after nine overs.
Gibson continued to dominate, reaching her first half-century for the club as North moved to 101 runs after 10 overs. However, in their quest to accelerate the run rate, Alchin fell victim to a high catch taken by Neve Jackman, leaving North at 1-110 after 11 overs.
The ever-dangerous Steph Balman then entered the fray, making an immediate impact by hitting a boundary off her second ball. Gibson, meanwhile, kept the pressure on, smashing boundaries with regularity until she was caught on the boundary by Jarrah Hodgins, finishing with an impressive score of 72 off just 53 balls. North was now 2/138.
Balman continued to threaten, hitting three boundaries in one over before succumbing to another brilliant catch, leaving North at 3/153. Ashleigh Camilleri and Morgan Boylan then took to the crease, with Boylan swinging hard but unfortunately getting bowled for just five runs. Courtney Gaurnaut entered next and struck a six off her third delivery, while Camilleri contributed some late boundaries. With plenty of extras from Central, North closed their innings at a commanding 4/203.
Facing what many considered an insurmountable target, Central came out to bat amid cheers from the sidelines, but the North bowlers had other ideas. The first five overs saw Central manage a mere 12 runs, thanks to tight bowling and sharp fielding, placing North in a dominant position.
The breakthrough came when Morgan Boylan bowled a hard-hit ball that was caught by Steph Alchin, leaving Central at 1/14. Sophie Milne then entered the attack, continuing her excellent form by producing a stump cartwheeling bowled that left Central at 2/17
As drinks approached, Steph Balman claimed a wicket with a catch taken by the reliable Ellie Simmons, sending Central to 3/38. After the break, Simmons showcased her fielding prowess once again, taking a spectacular running catch off Jo Smith’s bowling. Over the next five overs, North’s bowlers maintained their grip, restricting Central to just 11 runs.
Simmons then added to her impressive performance by claiming her first bowled wicket, breaking the bails with a delivery that had Central reeling at 5/55 after 16 overs. Milne created a run-out opportunity, catching Central off guard with a quick throw to the stumps. In a dramatic finish, Milne again took the stumps down on the last ball of the innings, concluding Central’s innings at a mere 7/65.
With this victory, North improved their season record to 7-0. The team will now take a much-needed week off for the Adelaide Test, allowing the players to regroup after an intense couple of months of cricket.
A special shout-out goes to Gibson for her outstanding top score and to Simmons for her exceptional bowling performance, going three overs without conceding a run.
Results: North 4/203 ( B Gibson 72, Steph A 22, Steph B 20, P Hall 1/19) defeated Central 7/65 ( S Milne 2/3, E Simmons 1/5, J Smith 1/6) by 138 runs.
