On Sunday (November 15), Madeline Penna played a central role in Adelaide Strikers’ 14-run win over Sydney Sixers at the Drummoyne Oval. While the right-hander only scored 16, it was her 38-run stand with Tegan McPharlin that helped Strikers steady the ship before they surged past the 100-mark.
With her side in a similar situation, at 72 for 6 against Hobart Hurricanes at the Hurstville Oval on Tuesday (November 17), for the second game in succession, Penna helped resurrect Strikers’ batting innings. The 20-year-old smashed her maiden Women’s Big Bash League half-century, clobbering a 33-ball 56, and sharing a 69-run stand with McPharlin, to take Strikers to a total of 141 for 6.
“I kind of felt like I had a job to do out there,” Penna told reporters after her side sealed a dominant 64-run win over the Hurricanes. “I made sure that I capitalised on the bad balls, took a single on the good balls and just kept rotating the strike and tried to get to the 140-mark.”
Penna walked out to bat with Strikers in a bit of strife in the 12th over. She nudged her way to five off six deliveries, before Stafanie Taylor’s dismissal brought McPharlin to the crease. The pair watchfully played out a couple of overs, before Penna put her foot down, finding the boundary regularly in the final five overs.
“We kind of just said let's not go away from our strengths and if it's there to hit, let's hit it,” Penna said of her chat with McPharlin. “If not, let's rotate the strike and get up and down the wicket as much as possible.”
“I just worked with Tegan McPharlin out there and we said that we're going to get to 140 and that's what we did.”
On a pitch that appeared a tad wet, and slightly two paced, Penna took her time before she hit her straps. But once she did, there was no stopping her. The right-hander clubbed 24 runs off the final over of the innings bowled by Nicola Carey, to go from a score of 32 to 56.
“It was kind of 'go big or go home'. I was just trying to look for the boundary as much as possible,” she laughed. “I like to clear the front leg and have a bit of a swing, so luckily it paid off.”
“I seemed to find the pitch pretty good. I just backed myself to hit to my strength.”
Penna credited former England skipper and Strikers’ assistant coach Charlotte Edwards for the work she’s put into her batting over the last while. She said her interactions with Edwards in recent times have given her great clarity regarding her batting plans.
“Charlotte Edwards has been a massive help to me. She's got such great experience. She's amazing,” she gushed.
“ literally ‘see ball, hit ball’ and just play to my strengths. It's (her message) really simple, but it allows me to do my job. Lottie's a legend, so i'm taking in all her advice.”
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