It was a textbook pursuit by the Australian captain as her side builds momentum after a soggy start to the season
Match Report:
ScorecardMeg masterclass downs Strikers, Stars stay unbeaten
A chasing masterclass from Meg Lanning has secured a seven-wicket victory for the Melbourne Stars over the Adelaide Strikers in Blacktown.
South Africa import Laura Wolvaardt's brilliant 68 helped the Strikers to 6-154, but the Stars edged home in a tight chase with Lanning the star scoring 69 from 58 deliveries.
The Stars captain was given the time she needed to settle in at the crease thanks to opening partner Elyse Villani's flying start, who picked up where she left off against the Hurricanes on Sunday and found the boundary eight times in the first five overs of the chase.
Villani holed out four balls after the end of the power play, but her 43 from 28 had set the tone which Lanning continued.
Handed a life on 12, dropped on the rope by teenage fast bowler Darcie Brown, Lanning made the Strikers pay, smacking a towering six off leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington on her way to fifty from 37 balls.
It was classic Lanning in chase-mode, intensely focused as she perfectly timed her run, aided by Mignon du Preez's speedy 31 from 26 as the Stars reached their target with two balls to spare thanks to a Natalie Sciver six.
Earlier, the Strikers lost Katie Mack for one in the second over, trapped lbw by Sciver after being sent in by the Stars.
Some wayward bowling from the Melbourne club proved a gift to the Strikers, conceding 12 wides, but the international pair of Tahlia McGrath and Wolvaardt were largely kept in check through the first half of the innings, as they reached 1-54 after 10 overs.
The momentum shifted when Wolvaardt decided to go after the left-arm spin of recent debutant Sophie Day in the 12th over, dispatching her over the ropes twice in two balls.
While McGrath (33) and Bridget Patterson (0) departed, Wolvaardt continued the attack, producing her full array of shots to reach a half-century from 42 deliveries.
Her onslaught came to an end on 68, from just 50 deliveries, but Stafanie Taylor ( 20 off 15) and Wellington (18 off 8) picked up where she left off.
Wellington showed no fear against Sciver and Katherine Brunt, striking two fours and a six off the star England duo to carry the Strikers to 6-154.
The Stars will look to make it three on the trot against the Scorchers at North Sydney Oval on Saturday, while the Strikers will search for their second win of the season against the Heat earlier the same day.