By Jonty Ralphsmith
Australia has won the 2022 Indoor Cricket Men’s and Women’s World Cup, both held at Casey Stadium last week.
The men finished on top of the ladder with nine wins from their 10 games, facing second-placed New Zealand in the final.
The countries won two skins each in the final, with Australia’s strong 23-8 and 32-15 scores in the first two skins winning it the title.
Australia batted first, with Vinesh Bennett batting in the first partnership and top scoring with 17; Lyle Teske and Kieran Perkins scored 16 each in the third batting partnership.
Matthew Floros played 11 games for the host country, averaging 16.18 with the bat at a strike rate exceeding 140, both figures the highest across the men’s tournament.
He also contributed 16 wickets, alongside Luke Ryan, while Perkins claimed 15.
Clive Rose, who made 58 Big Bash League appearances between 2012-2020 for the Melbourne Stars and Hobart Hurricanes, was part of the squad, playing seven matches.
Meanwhile, the women went undefeated through their 12 games to ultimately finish 18 points clear on top of the ladder as the clear dominant team.
The hosts got three or four of the four available skins in all but one of their games heading into the final against New Zealand.
The partnership between Madeleine Wright and Emily Vallance proved decisive, as Australia won the third skin by eight runs in a match where each team got two skins and Australia scored 117 runs to New Zealand’s 111.
From her nine games, Vallance scored 207 runs, averaging 23 at a strike rate of 193, and was well supported by Neisha Iles (173 runs, 16 wickets), Allison Maxwell (192 runs, 16 wickets) and Samantha Dixon (204 runs, 11 wickets).
As for the Under-22’s, the men finished second on the ladder with seven wins from 10 games before losing the grand final to New Zealand.
Aussie skipper and Buckley Ridges junior, Jonathan D’Rozario, led the way with 154 runs and 10 wickets for the tournament.
The Under-22 women fell agonisingly short of the title going down to New Zealand in the final.
Needing to defend 35 for victory in the final skin, Australia conceded 37, going down on the second last ball of the game.
Stacy Rockliff’s 126 runs and 11 wickets led the way throughout the tournament for the Aussies.
