Rare rule hands Renegades thrilling win over Hurricanes

One of cricket's rarely needed rules has cost the Hobart Hurricanes in a four-wicket Weber WBBL|12 loss to the Melbourne Renegades.

With one ball remaining in the Renegades' run chase, scores were locked at 154 runs apiece in a Wednesday night thriller in Hobart.

Renegades batter Deandra Dottin missed the final delivery, which was taken by wicketkeeper Lizelle Lee standing up to the stumps.

But as players readied for a Super Over finish, replays showed Lee had taken the ball just in front of the stumps, leading to no ball – and a Renegades victory.

The Hurricanes, with captain Nicola Carey top-scoring with 62 from 43 balls in her 150th WBBL match, posted 7-154 despite 'Gades skipper Sophie Molineux capturing 4-22.

It took Molineux's WBBL career wickets tally to 101 – just the second Renegades woman to pass the three-figure milestone for the club after Molly Strano (104), who now plays for the Hurricanes.

The Renegades, powered by opener Hayley Matthews (59 from 44 balls), were cruising at 1-101 in the 13th over.

But the visitors stumbled, losing 5-37 to set up a bizarre finish that also featured a fielding restriction penalty against Hobart.

The Hurricanes remain winless on the bottom of the standings after three games amid injury concern over West Indian ace Chinelle Henry.

Henry smacked 36 from 18 balls in Hobart's innings but, after bowling just one over costing 14 runs, hobbled from the field with a suspected hip injury.

Henry's departure came as her compatriot Matthews dominated Hobart's bowlers with a classy knock laced with eight boundaries.

Matthews and Courtney Webb (29 from 25) advanced the Renegades before late twists.

Webb's dismissal was rapidly followed by Molineux (6) falling to a spectacular caught-and-bowled by Strano, who leapt high to complete a one-hander.

In the next over, the dangerous Matthews was bowled by Graham as the visitors slipped from 1-101 in the 13th over to a precarious 4-108 in a 12-ball span.

With 33 runs required from the last four overs, the Renegades took the Power Surge and soon whittled down their target to five runs from three balls.

Then, a fielding restriction penalty was imposed on the Hurricanes for not bowling their 20 overs in the specified time and they were only allowed two fielders outside the circle for the final three deliveries.

After a dot ball, Dottin edged the penultimate ball to the deep third boundary, where a fielder likely would have been stationed.

With scores tied, Dottin couldn't make contact with the last ball and players converged, expecting a Super Over.

As they huddled, replays showed the gloves of Hurricanes 'keeper Lee taking the ball in front of the stumps and the umpires called a no ball, giving the Renegades the winning run and their first victory of the season.

Weber WBBL|12 Standings

Round 1

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Ties T	Drawn D	No results N/R	Net Run Rate NRR	Deductions Ded.	Batting Bonus Bat	Bowling Bonus Bowl	Total points PTS
1 Sydney Sixers Women SIX	2	2	0	0	0	0	2.25	0	0	0	4
2 Perth Scorchers Women SCO	2	2	0	0	0	0	1.696	0	0	0	4
3 Sydney Thunder Women THU	2	2	0	0	0	0	1.605	0	0	0	4
4 Adelaide Strikers Women STR	1	1	0	0	0	0	1.05	0	0	0	2
5 Melbourne Stars Women STA	3	1	2	0	0	0	-0.3	0	0	0	2
6 Melbourne Renegades Women REN	3	1	2	0	0	0	-1.385	0	0	0	2
7 Brisbane Heat Women HEA	2	0	2	0	0	0	-0.891	0	0	0	0
8 Hobart Hurricanes Women HUR	3	0	3	0	0	0	-1.792	0	0	0	0

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

T: Ties

D: Drawn

N/R: No results

NRR: Net Run Rate

Ded.: Deductions

Bat: Batting Bonus

Bowl: Bowling Bonus

PTS: Total points