Strikers crush Stars in WBBL clash

Move over Meg, there’s someone else at the top of the ladder.

It may not be for total runs scored, but when it comes to number of sixes, the Adelaide Strikers’ New Zealand international Sophie Devine has things covered, with 12 maximums from 10 outings.

In an incredible display of power hitting, Devine struck 26 runs off the final over of the Strikers innings. 

The hard-hitting all-rounder finished unbeaten on 47 off just 15 balls as she guided her team to an imposing total of 169 against the Melbourne Stars. 

Devine’s innings capped off an encouraging team performance by the Strikers who entered today’s match needing a victory to remain in finals contention. 

Add to Devine’s innings another classy half-century from Southern Stars seamer-cum-all-rounder Sarah Coyte (71) - who also picked up three wickets (3-12) - plus a few rip-roaring deliveries from the young leg-spinner Amanda Wellington (1-12), and the Strikers pulled out the performance they’d been looking for all weekend. 

Wellington has been the talk of the town in the cricketing world after she was dubbed “the female Shane Warne” following an eye-catching performance of 3-13 against a strong Perth Scorchers side in the televised match on New Year’s Eve. 

WATCH: Wellington's impressive spell on New Year's Eve

Unafraid to flight the ball, Wellington delivers vicious turn and bounce; her first ball today beat the outside edge of an advancing Meg Lanning but the stumping was missed. 

An expensive chance in any normal situation – Lanning averages 249 in the WBBL at the Junction Oval – Wellington continued to trouble the Southern Stars skipper and five balls later had her woman. 

In the last ball of Wellington’s first over, the tournament and world’s leading batter was bowled round her legs by a ball that dipped, spun and ultimately clipped leg stump. 

For the Melbourne Stars the trend continues. 

It’s tiresome repeating the same old line but the sentiment remains - when Lanning fires so do the Stars. 

Lanning has won six player-of-the-match awards and the Stars have delivered six wins. 

There is batting around – on Friday South African international Mignon du Preez scored the first half-century for the Melbourne outfit that hadn’t come off Lanning’s bat, and wicketkeeper Emma Inglis now has a couple innings of note to her name following today’s 36 off 30 balls in a lower order rally with Anna Lanning (24). 

On each occasion, however, Inglis’ knocks have come in losing causes as, coming in at number five, she’s hardly featured when Meg Lanning has been in the runs, the Stars captain’s prolific form a double edged sword for the team’s lower order. 

The Strikers on the other hand proved today that they’re not a one-man band after their own superstar batter Sarah Taylor (1) was bowled in the game’s second over by Emma Kearney, who’s making it a habit to strike early.  

Quick Single: WBBL young guns have selectors thinking

Both Coyte and Devine stepped up on this occasion to take the game away from the Stars, who are still searching for someone to take the helm when Meg Lanning hasn’t.

After Taylor’s wicket the Stars started the game encouragingly, restricting the Strikers to a manageable 1-66 after the first 10 overs on a batting deck that has averaged over 286 runs per match across the weekend. 

However missed chances (Coyte was dropped at mid-on in the 15th over when she was on 52) and perhaps a bit of complacency setting into the Stars fielding saw them leak more than 10 runs per over in the second half of the Strikers innings. 

The win at least makes for interesting reading going into the final few matches of the WBBL as, unlike the men’s BBL, no team is yet out of the running for a finals spot. 

Neither is any team guaranteed of a place. 

The Strikers still have much to do after winning just one of their four matches this weekend while the Stars, with one win and one loss in their two fixtures, sit precariously in fourth position.