Walker makes hot start to national championships as WA split results on opening weekend

The WA country squad has split results after the opening rounds of the Australian Country Cricket Championships to stay in contention for finals. The championships, featuring the best regional cricketers from around Australia and an invitational Papua New Guinea team, began in Canberra on Friday with WA opening up against the ACT. They were sent in to bowl and made a great start with the ball as Geraldton’s Joe Walker took 3-11 off three overs with captain Janelle Phillips chipping in with 1-11 to restrict ACT to 7-83. It could have been better with the eighth wicket putting on 21 runs to push the ACT to something of a defendable total and it would prove costly as WA faltered with the bat. Their top three bats including Phillips and Meg Spalding fell for ducks, with only three batters making double figures. Drew Epis top-scored with 14 as WA were bundled out for 63 and the the last four wickets fell for just three runs. In their Sunday game they faced Queensland who had fallen to Victoria in their opening match with both teams looking to avoid a 0-2 start. Queensland chose to bat but WA struck regularly to keep them under pressure as Walker was once again the standout with with 3-16 off her three overs. Phillips also contributed with the run out of Phoebe Murphy who top-scored with 22 and had helped her side recover from 5-56. After their collapse in the opening game, WA were much improved in the second and avoided losing wickets in clumps. They were well marshalled with an unbeaten 46 from captain Phillips. Spalding (19) had helped WA to a steady start before Phillips combined with Emily Allen to put on 60 for the third wicket and break the back of the chase. Allen (30 off 35) played anchor while Phillips regularly hit the boundaries with seven fours going better than a run a ball as WA won the match by seven wickets. It sees WA in fourth place after two games behind NSW, ACT and Victoria though WA have a game in hand having already taken their bye. They were due to face Victoria and South Australia on Monday before taking on Papua New Guinea later on Tuesday.