It had been a rocky season so far for Wellington Blaze batsman Lucy Doolan. On Monday, however, she put together her maiden one-day century and steadied the boat for the capital side against the Northern Spirit.
Doolan, who is also a White Fern, opened the batting for the Blaze, and dug her heels in early, chasing 215. “The pitch played really well. It was nice to bat on,” she said describing the Kelburn Park track.
Although the Blaze lost a few early wickets, it was game on for the Wellington side. “Sophie Devine was with me the majority of the time,” Doolan said. “We formed a strong partnership and it was good to be out there with her.”
Devine went on to make 73 while Doolan scored 102*. Doolan didn’t even realise she was close to scoring her maiden century. “I had no idea. I thought I was going to get a good 70 or 80 and I didn’t know I was that close to 100,” she said. “I was scoring faster than I thought I was, so I didn’t get any nerves through the 90s.”
Doolan has had a tough start to the season. She dropped back to bat at five in hope of putting some big scores on the board, but that didn’t go to plan and she is back opening for the Blaze.
“I thought I’d give it a go at five bit it went horrifically wrong!” she laughed. “Since I’ve moved back to the opening position things seem to be going much better.”
In three recent matches as opener, Doolan has struck 48, 62 and 102 not out, so she’s clearly back in the right spot.
The Blaze is currently in first place for the one-day competition table, and still well in the hunt for the place in the final for the Twenty20 competition, tied up in second place with the Auckland Hearts.
