New South Wales become record breakers

New South Wales, the defending champions, enjoyed a record-breaking start to the women's national cricket league with two convincing wins over Western Australia in Sydney at the weekend.

Martha Winch (101*) and Lisa Sthalekar (96) shared a 169-run partnership - the largest in the competition's history - to push the Breakers to 2 for 285 and the state's highest score at North Sydney yesterday. Four wickets to the captain Julie Hayes and two to Lisa Keightley helped the side to an easy 107-run victory

Half-centuries to the sisters Alex and Kate Blackwell set up the Breakers' victory at Campbelltown on Saturday, with the pair combining in a stand of 106 as they reached 5 for 220. Western Australia were all out for 143 in reply.

New South Wales' next matches are against South Australia on November 20 and 21.