WBBL round-up: Thunder make it big weekend, Alyssa Healy thumps Renegades and England duo shine for Stars

The latest WBBL action as three out of the four matches produced results despite more Sydney rain

01-Nov-2020

Sam Bates and Heather Knight bowled Sydney Thunder to victory  •  Getty Images

Sydney Thunder 3 for 80 (Trenaman 38) beat Brisbane Heat 7 for 30 (Knight 3-4) by 14 runs (DLS method)

On another weekend of rain-dodging, the Sydney Thunder were able to make it back-to-back victories as spinners Sam Bates and Heather Knight combined to take five wickets between them in their two overs in a Brisbane Heat chase reduced to five overs. The Heat were left needing 45 after the calculations, as the match was able to resume moments before the cut-off, and they took 11 off the first over. However, left-arm spinner Bates changed the game with a double-wicket maiden in the second over - her first scalp the big-hitting Grace Harris - which left the Heat too much to do. Knight, who starred with the bat the previous day, claimed three wickets in her six deliveries which gave Sammy-Jo Johnson the comfort of 24 to defend in the last. The Thunder had started well with the bat as Rachel Trenaman and Tammy Beaumont added 71 but they had lost 3 for 6 in two overs when the rain curtailed their innings.

Sydney Sixers 2 for 121 (Healy 60) beat Melbourne Renegades 7 for 119 (Wareham 54*, Campbell 3-32)

A typically blistering innings from Alyssa Healy, as she crunched a 31-ball 60, powered the Sydney Sixers to victory which also have their net run-rate a handy boost in a chase they completed with nearly six overs to spare. The match was trimmed to 18 overs after more rain during the Renegades' innings and they couldn't recover from limping to 5 for 66 in the 14th over despite a crunching maiden WBBL fifty by Georgia Wareham who hammered 37 off the last two overs against Stella Campbell and Ellyse Perry. Campbell's first three overs had been very impressive as she had 2 for 11 before Wareham's late charge, her second wicket coming thanks to a rebound catch by Hayley Silver-Holmes at mid-off who had initially dropped the simpler opportunity. Healy set the tempo of the chase straightaway, taking 18 off Sophie Molineux's over, and she continued to a 26-ball half-century. She fell to Wareham shortly afterwards but the hitting continued from Ash Gardner (20 off 8 balls) as the Sixers flexed their batting muscle.

Melbourne Stars 2 for 93 (Villani 51*) beat Hobart Hurricanes 9 for 89 (Brunt 3-17, Sciver 3-21)

England duo Katherine Brunt and Nat Sciver combined to take six wickets between them before Elyse Villani's unbeaten half-century rushed the Melbourne Stars to victory as they finally completed a match at the fourth time of asking in the rain-affected start to the tournament. It was another dank, damp afternoon at Drummoyne Oval but conditions were just good enough for a game. The Hurricanes' batting struggled again as they slumped to 5 for 18 the fourth over with Brunt, Sciver and Holly Ferling each taking wickets in their opening overs. Sciver returned to claim Chloe Tryon, who had briefly threatened, and Tess Flintoff chipped in with 2 for 5 to leave Nicola Carey with no choice but to try and see out the overs with a boundary-less 26 off 37 balls.
Adelaide Strikers 4 for 70 (Taylor 30) v Perth Scorchers 1 for 25 - No Result
The Perth Scorchers were on course for victory before their game at Drummoyne Oval became the latest to fall to the weather. Despite losing Sophie Devine to the hugely promising Darcie Brown for a duck in the second over, they were halfway towards their seven-over target of 52 when the weather closed in again after 2.5 overs of the chase. The Strikers innings had struggled to get going as they were 3 for 28 after 7.1 overs with Taneale Peschel claiming 2 for 5 in two overs, but Stafanie Taylor gave a brief glimpse of her power with 30 off 16 balls.