Melbourne Renegades make it three in a row with a commanding victory over the Melbourne Stars at Etihad Stadium
Match Report:
ScorecardMatch Recap: 'Gades defeat Stars
Match in Tweet: Gades make it two from two in the local derby as the Stars lose four in a row
The score: Melbourne Stars 7-127 (Sciver 37, Strano 2-20) in 20 overs lost to Melbourne Renegades 5-128 (Wyatt 40) in 19.3 overs by five wickets.
The hero: Danni Wyatt has been the shining light for the Renegades this season and she continued her purple patch with the bat to guide her team to their third consecutive win. Batting at No.3, Wyatt capitalised on the strong start by opening pair Rachel Priest and Sophie Molineux by scoring a breezy 40 from 31 balls. Every time the ball was tossed above her eye line, Wyatt took up the invitation by smashing the ball straight back over the bowlers’ head. Wyatt remained composed during the tight run chase by running well between the wickets and also striking five boundaries.
The support cast: Molly Strano was superb with the ball for the Renegades through the middle and death overs. The crafty off-spinner picked up two crucial wickets of Emma Inglis (13) and Hayley Jensen (21) to prevent the Stars cutting lose at the end. Strano is now the leading wicket taker in the WBBL|02 having picked up 14 wickets at an average of 15.35. She also had the privilege of hitting the winning runs as the Renegades made it two from two in the local derby.
The ball: It takes a good ball to dismiss a well-set Meg Lanning and Lea Tahuhu produced a 'jaffa' to knock over the tournament’s leading run scorer. Tahuhu pushed Lanning back with a couple of short balls before pitching one up that held its line to clip the top of off stump.
The consolation effort: Natalie Sciver has been starved of opportunities with the willow this season, but today she showed what she is capable off by belting 37 from 27 balls. The English import combined with Jess Cameron (20) to put on 56 for the third wicket to give the Stars innings some much needed impetus during the middle overs. Sciver was particularly severe on left-arm seamer Nicole Goodwin, hitting her for three boundaries in one over. Sadly for the Stars, Sciver's innings was cut short due to a run out, but not before she had hit five boundaries to propel them to a score of 7-127.
The next stop: The Renegades have a week off before heading north to play the Heat at Allan Border Field while the Stars host the Strikers at the MCG on January 10.