Day, Sutherland shine as Stars see off Scorchers

Melbourne Stars have pulled off a seven-run win over the Perth Scorchers to get their WBBL|09 campaign back in motion, as Annabel Sutherland starred with the bat before Sophie Day did the job with the ball.

As the Stars’ star-studded top order again faltered and after a mid-innings collapse of 3-0, Sutherland stepped up hitting 49 off 27 deliveries to help her team to a defendable 7-154.

Day then claimed 4-27 including the key wickets of Sophie Devine and Amy Jones to put the Stars on top, and while Alana King (21no off 15) led a late charge, the hosts held on, restricting Perth to 9-147.

It snapped a run of three-straight losses that followed the Stars’ first-up win over the Sydney Sixers.

The Stars were in a difficult position at 5-79 in the 12th over, having lost Meg Lanning (5), Sophie Reid (25), Alice Capsey (31), Maia Bouchier (0) and Sophia Dunkley (8).

Dunkley had been shuffled down into the middle order after a string of low scores at the top, but the England import was only just settling when she was unlucky to be run out at the non-strikers’ end, after a Sutherland straight drive deflected off the fingers of Lilly Mills and onto the stumps.

Sutherland then swung the momentum back in the hosts’ favour when she hit 22 runs off one Mills over, as she and Nicole Faltum (22no) helped their team to 7-154.

The Stars then had the Scorchers on the back foot from early in their chase, as Kim Garth trapped Beth Mooney lbw for nine before Day removed Devine (9) – via a brilliant diving grab from Lanning –Chloe Piparo (9) and Jones (10).

Darke played a lone hand at No.4, hitting six boundaries, but when her 33-ball innings ended on 45 with the Scorchers still needing 60 from 34 balls, the game looked beyond their reach.

King had other thoughts, however, as she and No.11 batter Taneale Peschel (12no off 4) made a late charge, hitting 13 runs off the penultimate over and 21 off the last, but they were left seven runs short.

Weber WBBL|09 standings

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Total points PTS
1 Adelaide Strikers Women STR	14	11	3	0	0	1.154	0	22
2 Perth Scorchers Women SCO	14	8	6	0	0	0.784	0	16
3 Brisbane Heat Women HEA	14	8	6	0	0	0.203	0	16
4 Sydney Thunder Women THU	14	7	6	0	1	0.298	0	15
5 Sydney Sixers Women SIX	14	7	7	0	0	-0.253	0	14
6 Hobart Hurricanes Women HUR	14	6	7	0	1	-0.597	0	13
7 Melbourne Stars Women STA	14	6	8	0	0	-0.779	0	12
8 Melbourne Renegades Women REN	14	2	12	0	0	-0.978	0	4

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

PTS: Total points