Bidwell’s leads Wanderers to big win as Sportsmans tail helps them overcome Rams

It was a family affair as the Wanderers took on Towns on Sunday afternoon as they posted a big win in the latest round of the Geraldton women’s cricket league. Three Bidwell sisters strapped on the pads for the Wanderers side with Towns unable to remove anyone of them as Charli and Chelsea put on 95 runs for the opening partnership before both retired at the drinks break. Charli had done the lion’s share of the scoring compiling 68 off just 52 balls, her maiden 50 in the competition, including 11 fours as Chelsea played an anchor role with 18 off 40. Towns may have been happy to see them not return after drinks but that only brought another Bidwell, Olivia, to the crease and she duly continued the outstanding form that sees her at the top of the run charts with an average of 44. She bettered that by battering her way to 53 not out off just 38 balls with seven fours her second consecutive fifty. It was a tough day for the Towns bowlers managing just three wickets in their 30 overs though they came in a rush with Layne Gillingham out for 18 off Corinne Lynch before Ashlyn Thompson and Kasey Maynard fell within the next three overs. But it did little to slow the Wanderers who motored their way to an imposing 3-191. Any slim hopes of a Towns upset were dashed when their top run scorer Ruth Vorster was bowled by Thompson second ball and Selina Kiddle fell to Maynard for a 16 ball duck. Dirranie Kirby dropped anchor to ensure there was no further damage as she made a defiant 60 of 104 balls facing more than half the deliveries in the innings. Olivia Bidwell removed her in the final over to deny her the red ink as the Towns finished 5-99 off their overs never threatening to chase the big total. In the other match, some lower-order hitting ensured Sportsmans recorded a comfortable win over the winless Chapman Valley Northampton. After being sent into bat they lost both openers early to be 2-8 after four overs before Amanda Gundry (17) and Joe Walker (10) steadied the ship before Gundry was caught off Tarni Screaigh. From there they lost wickets at regular intervals with Taliah Halden working her way through the middle order with 3-20 to leave Sportsmans at 7-73. But Hayley Criddle (30) and held up one end and once she found a partner in Jessica Wake (15) the two put on 49 runs for the eighth wicket to push them up to a competitive score of 7-122. The Rams also lost both openers early and after being rolled in their last two matches were in danger of folding again when Charlene Miller was trapped in front at 3-34. But to their credit the Rams dug in with Screigh’s 19 off 75 balls anchoring the innings and helping them bat out their overs for just the second time this season as they crawled to 8-71 off 30 overs.