WBBL wrap: Thunder thriller caps action-packed day

Duffin's knock in vain as Thunder seal final-ball thriller

Sydney Thunder capped off an action-packed day of Rebel WBBL matches with a thrilling final-ball victory over the Melbourne Renegades in Blacktown.

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A brilliant captain’s knock from Jess Duffin had left the Renegades needing four runs from the final Rene Farrell delivery, but former Australian batter Duffin couldn’t pull off a miracle as she was well caught by Hannah Darlington at long off, sealing a three-run win for the hosts.

At one stage the Renegades were in dire trouble at 4-25 chasing the Thunder’s 8-132, before Duffin’s brilliant 56-ball 69 reignited hopes of a comeback victory.

As the run rate crept up, Duffin’s experience and poise came to the fore as she reached the boundary six times and cleared it twice to keep her team within touching distance.

She shared an 88-run fifth-wicket stand with Courtney Webb (32), but had little support with no other Renegades batter reaching double figures.

South Africa import Shabnim Ismail bowled superbly for the Thunder, restricting the Renegades early and picking up the wickets of Sophie Molineux (4) and Claire Koski (2), before returning at the death to remove Webb, finishing with 3-14 from her four overs.

Earlier, Rachael Haynes led from the front for the Thunder, scoring a 33-ball 36 after being sent in by the Renegades, with help from Naomi Stalenberg (21), Alex Blackwell (21) and 16-year-old Phoebe Litchfield, whose bright start to her Big Bash career continued with a spritely 16 off 13.

Hat-trick leads Sixers to emphatic win over Stars

A Marizanne Kapp hat-trick was the story of the day as the Sydney Sixers cruised to an emphatic eight-wicket win over the Melbourne Stars at Hurstville Oval.

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A superb display with the ball from the Sixers restricted the Stars – who remain winless after three matches – from ball one, after Stars captain Elyse Villani elected to bat first.

Dane van Niekerk was a late arrival for the Sixers due to injury but wasted no time making an impact on WBBL|05, striking with her first ball of the tournament to remove a fellow Protea, Stars opener Lizelle Lee, for eight in the fourth over.

Villani battled her way to 14 from 32 deliveries before holing out, with another South African Mignon du Preez the only Stars batter to get going, scoring a 47-ball 44 before being run out in a horror mix-up.

The Stars were already in serious trouble at 6-94 when Kapp returned to bowl the 19th over, and that situation also became more dire as the fiery South African skittled Madeline Penna and Nicola Hancock before trapping Holly Ferling lbw.

In typical Kapp fashion, the ultra-competitive quick barely celebrated the hat-trick.

The Stars lost 8-19 to finish on 9-107, with van Niekerk finishing with 2-18 alongside Kapp’s 3-16.

In reply, Alyssa Healy (27) made an aggressive start while opening partner Ellyse Perry (39 not out) and Ashleigh Gardner (32) ensured the chase was never in doubt, reaching their target in 17.1 overs.

Kapp joins an exclusive club as one of four players to have taken WBBL hat-tricks, alongside her wife, van Niekerk. The others belong to Gemma Triscari and Amy Satterthwaite.

Lanning, Jones see Scorchers to thumping win

England import Amy Jones and Australia captain Meg Lanning led the way with the bat as Perth Scorchers thumped defending WBBL champions Brisbane Heat by nine wickets.

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In the second of two matches at the Brisbane venue on Saturday, Jones (60no) and Lanning (56) made light work of chasing the Heat’s 7-147, reaching their target with 10 balls to spare.

The Scorchers openers put on 129 in 16 overs before the Heat finally found a breakthrough, with Lanning caught off the bowling of Georgia Prestwidge.

There were no further hiccups for the Scorchers, who picked up their first win of the season.

Earlier, Beth Mooney anchored the Heat innings with a rapid 67 from 55 balls but found few partners as regular wickets fell.

Grace Harris made an explosive start before falling for 12, and Jess Jonassen (4) couldn’t capitalise on a promotion up the batting order.

New Zealand import Maddy Green joined Mooney to put on 70 for the third wicket, scoring a run-a-ball 34, but Delissa Kimmince was the only other batter to reach double figures with her late cameo of 12no from six.

Spinner Jemma Barsby, who helped the Heat win the WBBL|04 title before jumping ship to the Scorchers, impressed against her old team taking 2-19.

Strikers snap Hurricanes' winning run in thrilling finish

Adelaide Strikers held their nerve to seal a thrilling three-run win over the Hobart Hurricanes in the first of two matches at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field.

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Needing five runs to win from the final two balls, Nicola Carey smashed a Sophie Devine delivery towards the boundary, but only managed to pick out Katie Mack on the rope, before Maisy Gibson only managed a single from the final ball.

It capped an admirable fightback with the ball from the Strikers, who had appeared firmly on the back foot as Carey, who struck a fine 39, anchored the Hurricanes’ chase of what had seem a below-par 8-113.

Carey (39) and Fran Wilson (13) looked to have the chase well in hand, until a superb leg-break from Amanda-Jade Wellington bowled the latter in the 16th over.

Tight bowling from Tahlia McGrath, Sarah Coyte and Megan Schutt turned the screws on the ‘Canes, and the pressure paid off with Corinne Hall (6) and Chloe Tryon (1) falling cheaply, leaving Hobart needing 11 runs from the final over.

Wellington (2-18), McGrath (1-12) and Schutt (1-13) were outstanding with the ball, making amends for what was a difficult innings with the bat from Adelaide.

Regular wickets meant the Strikers’ struggled to build any momentum, while two close run-outs also proved costly, as recruits Gibson (2-15), Tayla Vlaeminck (2-18) and Carey (2-25) again led the wicket-taking for the new-look Hurricanes.

It took a late, crucial 13-ball 24 from Coyte to lift the Strikers to 8-113.

To come on Sunday:

Three matches, including two at AB Field, make for a mouth-watering menu of Sunday Big Bash action.

First, the Strikers meet the Scorchers at AB Field at 9.40am local time (10.40am AEDT), before the Heat meet the Hurricanes at 1.10pm (2.10pm AEDT). Those matches will be broadcast on the Seven Network, Fox Cricket, Kayo and the CA Live app, while you can listen on ABC radio.

Elsewhere, the Thunder play the Stars at Bankstown Oval at 2pm AEDT, with a free live stream on cricket.com.au, the CA Live app and the WBBL Facebook page, alongside coverage on Kayo and ABC radio.