By Tara Murray
Plenty Valley has lost its first Victorian Premier Cricket Women’s T20 game.
After winning their first two games of the competition, the Bats were hoping to keep the momentum going against Carlton-Brunswick on Wednesday night.
However, making just 76, the Bats were always going to be on the back foot.
Just four Bats players scored double figures.
They put up a fight with the ball, but it wasn’t enough with Carlton-Brunswick making the runs in the second last over, finishing 6-79.
Speaking before Wednesday’s game, Bats coach Adam Drinkwell said they had been happy with the start to the T20 competition.
“It’s come along really quickly,” he said.
“We’ve got five games in 11 days and it’s a really good opportunity to get the continuity in games and have some really good cricket.”
Drinkwell said Sophie Day had started the competition well with the bat, while Sophie Reid was doing a good job as captain in the absence of Rhiann O’Donnell who has Women’s Big Bash League duties.
With most sides missing players to the WBBL, Drinkwell said the competition was more even than it would have been otherwise.
He said most teams were still in the mix for finals, with only the top two progressing.
“For us it’s about having fun and playing cricket and we’re now expecting to have some success,” he said.
“If we can head into the break with three or four wins, we set ourselves up.”
It isn’t just in Premier Cricket the Bats are having some success.
Bats speedster Tayla Vlaeminck made her debut for the Melbourne Renegades in the WBBL on her return from the World Cup.
O’Donnell also made her WBBL with the Hobart Hurricanes.
Drinkwell said it was good to see them get an opportunity.
“They’re two girls from country Victoria who have come to play with us and done some hard years with travel, to now play professional cricket,” he said.
“We expect Rhiann to play more games with the Hurricanes.
“Tayla is leading the attack for the Renegades and we’re hearing a lot about her cricket at the moment.”
England international Danni Wyatt, who played with the Bats in 2015-16, has also aligned with the Bats this summer during the WBBL. She played in the Bats’ first T20 match.
The Bats’ confidence in the T20 format comes after a successful first half to the one-day competition.
The Bats have three wins and a draw, after just two wins last season.
“We’re not in too bad a shape,” Drinkwell said.
“We’re only six points off second spot and our seconds are on top. We’re playing some good cricket, hopefully it will continue in the second part of the season.”
The Bats were due to play a double header on Sunday against Dandenong and Prahran, but all games were cancelled due to the weather leaving grounds not up to scratch.
