Teenagers shine in Breakers' bonus point win

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The NSW Breakers have kept their title defense alive, beating Queensland by 87 runs at Hurstville Oval on Thursday to claim a bonus point victory.

The win has lifted the Breakers to third place on the Women’s National Cricket League ladder with nine points, two behind Queensland, which lost top spot to Western Australia.

The Breakers are just three points behind WA with a game in hand and can move to the top of the table if they beat the ACT Meteors next Tuesday in their rescheduled match at Hurstville Oval.

Chasing the Breakers’ 241, Queensland was dismissed for 154 inside 36 overs to give the NSW side their second victory in three games this season.

Impressive bowling and batting performances from teenagers Hayley Silver-Holmes and Phoebe Litchfield highlighted a strong allround performance from the Breakers.

Accurate medium pacer Silver-Holmes was Player of the Match after claiming 3-18 from eight overs including Queensland’s top scorer Laura Harris (65 from 53 balls) as the visitors lost their last seven wickets for 43 runs.

Litchfield, 16, continued the impressive start to her career in just her third WNCL match, scoring 44 in 40 balls.

The left-hander also played 11 games for the Sydney Thunder this season with a top score of 52 not out.

Coming to the wicket when the Breakers were an uncertain 4-132, Litchfield dominated a 65-run partnership in nine overs with Ashleigh Gardner, who later claimed 3-28.

After a 101-run opening stand from captain Alyssa Healy (53 from 61 balls) and her deputy Rachael Haynes (53 from 93 balls) the Breakers fell away before bright cameos from Gardner (34 from 37 balls), Litchfield, and veteran Rene Farrell (22 not out from 16 balls) lifted the score.