The Lend Lease Breakers travel to Brisbane tomorrow for two T20 games and one 50 over match against the National T20 champions, the Queensland Fire, at Allan Border Field.
The Breakers have had the wood over their northern rivals for the last seven years with their last loss at the hands of the Fire coming back in December 2006.
NSW and Queensland have played 35 matches in the Women’s National Cricket League with the Breakers winning on 31 occasions.
Queensland have never beaten the Breakers in the Women’s T20 competition, with NSW winning all of the previous nine clashes between the sides.
There have been some very close matches between these two teams in both formats over the last few years especially, with their last meeting at Blacktown International Sportspark in December 2013 resulting in the Breakers’ first ever Super Over victory after the scores were tied at the end of the T20 match.
NSW selectors have retained the same squad of 13 that whitewashed the ACT a fortnight ago for this weekend’s matches.
After debuting in Round One, all-rounder Emily Leys and off-spinner Lauren Smith have held their places in the squad for this weekend.
Smith was especially impressive against the ACT with a Player of the Match performance in the Women’s National Cricket League 50 over match.
She will also be able to enter this weekend’s matches with a clear mind, with Central Coast teenager due to finish her HSC exams this Thursday afternoon.
The full squad for the matches against the Queensland Fire is (clubs/regions in brackets):
Alex Blackwell (captain – Universities/Riverina)
Rachael Haynes (vice-captain – Universities)
Sarah Aley (Bankstown Sports)
Nicola Carey (St George-Sutherland)
Sarah Coyte (Campbelltown-Camden)
Alyssa Healy (Sydney)
Emily Leys (Gordon)
Erin Osborne (Sydney)
Ellyse Perry (Sydney)
Leah Poulton (Universities/Newcastle)
Angela Reakes (Sydney/North Coastal)
Lauren Smith (Northern District/Central Coast)
Kara Sutherland (Universities/North Coastal)
NSW are currently ranked second on the Women’s T20 ladder with two wins. Queensland also have two wins but are placed third on net-run-rate.
The opposite applies for the Women’s National Cricket League table with NSW in third position, narrowly behind Queensland.
The Lend Lease Breakers and Queensland Fire will play T20 matches on Friday (October 24, 2pm AEDST) and Sunday (October 26, 11am AEDST), with the WNCL 50 over game on Sunday (October 25, 11am AEDST).
