MILDURA Settlers captain Jenny Donnelly channeled New Zealand cricketing great Sophie Devine to produce a stunning all-round performance on Friday evening.
Donnelly belted 30 retired from 35 balls, including four boundaries, before claiming 3/0 in five balls to lead her team to a 52-run win over Mildura West.
“I actually felt like I wound back the clock,” she said.
“I channeled Sophie Devine. That was my mantra for this year: ‘channel Sophie Devine’. Just free the arms and swing hard.”
Devine holds the world record for the fastest ever 50 in Women’s T20 Internationals and Donnelly wanted to play with similar freedom when she walked to the wicket at number four in the order.
She said one of her favourite moments was a crisp shot for four off her legs.
“I picked it up on the bounce – little Ruby Woollard bowled an absolute short one at me. I saw it early and swung back and just flicked it off my legs for four,” she said.
“(It was) the first time I’ve done that in years.”
Donnelly said another secret to her success was not trying to hit the ball too hard, as her team reached 8/94 off 20 overs before rolling West for just 42.
“I took two steps and just lined them up,” she said.
It was strong all round performance for Settlers, which came into the opening round as an unknown cohort following an influx of juniors, along with members from Gol Gol’s women’s side.
Shania McKinnon was another standout, scoring 35 off 24 deliveries, before picking up 2/12 with the ball. The performance, which included a direct hit run-out of Wests’ top scorer Marlee Hards (21 off 19) in the last over of the match, drew praise from the Settlers’ captain.
Donnelly admitted West were left with a “big hole” given Rhiann O’Donnell’s departure for WBBL side Melbourne Renegades, but she said the defending champions still had plenty of talent in bowlers Ruby Woollard and Demi Zanoni, as well as Matisse Hill behind the stumps.
The captain said the team would now look to build on their momentum when they take on Nichols Point Green.
“There were quite a few dropped catches, so we’ve got room to grow,” Donnelly said. “But just the energy was high and at no point did any of the kids think they couldn’t do it.”
