Third time lucky in WBBL decider for Amanda-Jade Wellington eases Australian selection pain

“As soon as I told them, they swore a few times,” Wellington told CODE Sports.

“But I had to be like, ‘Mum, Dad, just don’t worry about it. Let’s look forward to the next selection hopefully later down the track’.”

It has been a week full of emotion for Wellington, capped off by the Adelaide Strikers’ remarkable WBBL title victory.

Against the heavily-favoured Sydney Sixers, Wellington’s side travelled to Sydney – early flight and all – and produced what in the end was a comfortable win thanks to a brilliant bowling performance.

And focusing on the Strikers’ finals run has been key to how the leg-spinner has coped with not being selected in the 15-woman national squad.

Wellington was named in the WBBL team of the tournament this season, taking 23 wickets at 16.34; yet it was not enough to earn a seat on the plane to India.

In the minutes after lifting the trophy on Saturday night, as she celebrated the drought-breaking win with her teammates, it was the furthest thing from her mind.

“It definitely makes it a lot easier [to deal with] having something like this to look forward to, playing in a WBBL final,” Wellington says.

“And I think for me in Australian cricket, I’m more than happy with my cricket at the moment.

“I don’t need to be selected to make myself feel good as a cricketer. I know what I’m doing is good enough for this team that I’m in at the moment, and that’s all I need.”

On top of having been in the squad for Australia’s World Cup and Commonwealth Games triumphs earlier this year, the omission of Wellington was peculiar for a tour of the subcontinent, where spinners thrive.

National selector Shawn Flegler indicated that the decision was made due to injury concerns over some fast bowlers and the need to have enough cover in the squad. It also would have been hard for Wellington, 25, to force her way into the XI, with Alana King, Jess Jonassen and Ash Gardner all incumbents.

But Wellington wants to ensure that she’s not the odd one out again in the future.

“I think one thing that I’ve gotten better at is asking for responses about how and what I need to do to get better,” she says.

“I think in the previous years, I’ve kind of put it aside and haven’t worried about it too much. Now, I’m starting to ask questions and figuring out what I need to do.

“My consistency through the WBBL has been really good and I’m proud of what I’m doing. I think I’m just going to focus and be content at where I am with my bowling.”

*****

Wellington remembers exactly how she felt 12 months earlier.

The Strikers were standing in Optus Stadium in Perth, watching on as the Scorchers celebrated winning WBBL07.

It was the second time in three years that Adelaide had made the final only to finish second best.

“I was gutted, I was very deflated,” she recalls.

“I thought we had the best team there but we just didn’t rock up on the day. Those moments are do or die and the best team on the day wins.”

The feeling of redemption was clearly on the mind of every one of the Strikers’ players. While all the talk going into the match was about the Sixers’ formidable, record-breaking season, they didn’t share the desperation of their South Australian counterparts.

“I think the girls, we were ready,” says Wellington (1-30, three overs), who dismissed Maitlan Brown (34 runs from 17 balls) with the final ball of the match.

“We were hungry. Last year was a disappointment and I thought we were out for revenge.

“I thought, third time lucky. When all the girls rocked up today, we were saying to each other, ‘We got this, we have got this’.”

When the Sixers collapsed to 4-16 within six overs, there was a hush around the ground. The moment Ellyse Perry departed in the 15th over, Adelaide’s win seemed inevitable.

But it was left to Wellington to bowl the final over and ensure that the trophy came home with the Strikers. It’s the sort of scenario that the leggie is proving she’s made for in domestic tournaments worldwide.

“I didn’t know I was bowling that last over until Tahlia [McGrath] and Schutter (Megan Schutt) came over and asked me, ‘Have you got this?’” Wellington says.

“And I said, ‘I’ve bloody got this. I want this’. Throughout the whole over, I was telling myself to do my thing … If I did that, the rest would take care of itself.

“I’ve had many cracks at a grand final and haven’t got there, so this is very special.

“This one I’m definitely going to treasure because there’s been such a core group, and I think this group is more deserving than anything.”

And while there were eyebrows raised when they were booked on a 6am flight to Sydney ahead of the final, the players know they will have a much more civilised journey to the airport on Sunday morning.

From the sound of Saturday night’s celebration plans, it will be a welcome relief.

“It’s an 11 o’clock flight, which is great,” Wellington says.

“These are the nights you cherish as a cricket player. They don’t come often and I think you’ve got to take your time out and enjoy it. These are the moments you remember.

“There might be some people skolling [drinks], I don’t know. Don’t know if I can say too much, but drink responsibly!

“It’s going to be a pretty good night and one we’ve been waiting for for a while.”