A final-day century to Katie Mack set up an emphatic win for the Green XI as Australia's best domestic talent showed off their red-ball skills
Katie Mack hit a century and Lilly Mills picked up a five-wicket haul as the Green XI took bragging rights over the Gold XI in their three-day domestic red-ball game.
Australia’s top domestic talent was on display in the ‘Green v Gold’ intra-Australia A match at Canberra’s EPC Solar Park, with the game designed to give players outside the national squad an opportunity to play multi-day cricket.
With the game evenly poised heading into Friday’s final day, ACT Meteors star Mack took control on her home turf, striking an unbeaten 102 from 148 deliveries.
She was well supported by Australia T20I squad member and Green XI captain Nicole Faltum, who hit 62 and later declared shortly after Mack reached triple figures with her team 4-214.
Set a target of 249 for victory, the Gold XI were quickly on the back foot when rising Queensland allrounder Sianna Ginger (2-19) removed Emma de Broughe (9) and Courtney Webb (9), while Lauren Cheatle dislodged her NSW teammate Tahlia Wilson for one.
From 3-19, Queensland’s Charli Knott dug in with a gritty 59 but wickets continued to fall at the other end, as WA off-spinner Mills (5-28) removed Bridget Patterson (9), Tess Flintoff (1), Maitlan Brown (17) and Amy Edgar (6).
When Knott holed out to hand Mills her fifth, the Green XI sealed a 121-run win.
It capped off three days that saw numerous players make an impression on national selectors.
Ginger’s all-round talents were on display when she top-scored for the Green XI on the opening day of the game, scoring 62 in their innings of 282 all out.
Flintoff (4-27) was superb upfront with the new ball, removing three of the Green XI’s top four batters, while Amy Edgar picked up 3-42 with her spin.
On day two, Georgia Prestwidge’s 5-31 was instrumental in restricting the Gold XI to 9d-238 on a rain-affected day.
De Broughe led the way for the Gold XI with the bat, top scoring with 84, while Flintoff’s impressive all-round game continued when she hit an unbeaten 44.
Mills and Flintoff are among those who have been named in the Australia A red-ball squad which will meet England A in a four-day game at Sydney’s Cricket Central next month.
Australia A T20 squad: Heather Graham (c), Charli Knott (vc), Lauren Cheatle, Hannah Darlington, Sophie Day, Amy Edgar, Tess Flintoff, Sianna Ginger, Anika Learoyd, Rhys McKenna, Madeline Penna, Amy Smith, Courtney Webb, Tahlia Wilson (wk)
Australia A 50-over squad: Nicole Faltum (c/wk), Charli Knott (vc), Lauren Cheatle, Hannah Darlington, Sophie Day, Tess Flintoff, Sianna Ginger, Nicola Hancock, Ella Hayward, Anika Learoyd, Amy Smith, Georgia Voll, Courtney Webb, Tahlia Wilson
Australia A Four-Day squad: Charli Knott (c), Nicole Faltum (vc/wk), Maitlan Brown, Lauren Cheatle, Maddy Darke, Sophie Day, Tess Flintoff, Sianna Ginger, Nicola Hancock, Ella Hayward, Anika Learoyd, Lilly Mills, Rachel Trenaman, Tahlia Wilson
First T20 | March 26: Hurstville Oval, Sydney, 1pm AEDT
Second T20 | March 28: Hurstville Oval, Sydney, 1pm AEDT
Third T20 | March 30: Hurstville Oval, Sydney, 1pm AEDT
First OD| April 2: Cricket Central, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT
Second OD| April 4: Cricket Central, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT
Third OD| April 7: Cricket Central, Sydney, 9.45am AEST
Four-day game | April 12-15: Cricket Central, Sydney, 9.30am AEST