WBBL wrap: Knight shines as Thunder storm to big win

Sydney Thunder beat Adelaide Strikers by 58 runs

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By Laura Jolly at Sydney Showgrounds Stadium

Heather Knight smacked an explosive 83 in her debut innings for the Thunder, as the Sydney side romped to a 58-run victory over the Adelaide Strikers at Showground Stadium.

Knight combined with her skipper Rachael Haynes (39) to help the Thunder post 6-190, with the Strikers well short in their reply of 8-132.

After Adelaide sent the Thunder in to bat under stormy skies, teenage Strikers quick Darcie Brown gave Sydney’s openers and the speed gun a workout early, consistently topping 120kph as Tammy Beaumont (9) and Rachel Trenaman (16) struggled to get going.

The momentum rapidly shifted when Sammy-Jo Johnson arrived to the crease for the first time in Thunder colours.

The hard-hitting allrounder quickly made her mark in the lime green, punishing leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington’s first and only over, smacking four sixes.

Her 13-ball cameo ended on 30 but was the impetus the Thunder innings needed, with Knight and Haynes carrying on where she left off.

The pair put on 120 for the fourth wicket – including 91 runs between overs 14 and 19 – with even Megan Schutt unable to stem the flow of runs as her final over was carted for three boundaries by Haynes.

Knight smacked 39 runs from the last 11 balls she faced before holing out on 83 in the penultimate over, ending a brilliant knock featuring 11 fours and three maximums.

A target of 191 was always going to be a tough ask for a Strikers line-up missing captain Suzie Bates, and their task became even tougher when top-order batters Katie Mack (12), Laura Wolvaardt (10) and Bridget Patterson (1) all fell cheaply.

Tahlia McGrath provided some resistance with a 37-ball 46 but had little support, with off-spinner Lauren Smith (3-26) and left-arm orthodox spinner Sam Bates (2-20) doing the damage with the ball for the Thunder.

The only worry for the Thunder will be the fitness of young quick Hannah Darlington, who left the ground after bowling two overs due to a contusion on her lower shin, with her availability for Sunday to be assessed following scans.

Perth Scorchers beat Melbourne Renegades by 18 runs (DLS)

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By Sam Ferris at Drummoyne Oval

Perth prize recruits Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine powered the Scorchers to their first win of WBBL|06 by downing the Melbourne Renegades at Drummoyne Oval.

Having restricted Melbourne to 5-105 from their 20 overs, the Scorchers were 0-62 from 9.5 overs, well ahead of the DLS target of 44, when the match was halted due to lightning before rain and thunderstorms called an early end to the match.

On Halloween night, openers Devine (31no) and Mooney (23no) haunted the Renegades in the run chase as they added a second half-century partnership to the 55 they posted against the Heat last weekend.

Devine and Mooney also combined for the highlight of the first innings, as Mooney soared to take a fantastic full-stretch catch to her right off the bowling of her skipper to remove the dangerous Lizelle Lee.

Courtney Webb top-scored for the Renegades with 33 from 44 balls and shared a 59-run stand with opener Sophie Molineux (29) having come together at 3-16 in the fifth over.

But their partnership should have been broken four times as each batter was dropped twice by four different fielders. Perth's poor catching was in complete contrast to their excellent ground fielding which supported the disciplined and suffocating bowling display.

Mooney and Devine were largely untroubled in the chase, but seamer Maitlan Brown was sharp and hostile, repeatedly bouncing the imperious duo in her spell of 0-8 from three overs.

Melbourne were desperate for a breakthrough but it took Mother Nature to remove the Perth pair from the crease, as lightning strikes forced the players from the field before the rain set in.

Hobart Hurricanes v Brisbane Heat - No Result

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By Laura Jolly at Sydney Showgrounds Stadium

Brisbane Heat and Hobart Hurricanes have been left frustrated after rain washed out their clash at Showground Stadium.

The Hurricanes were 0-43 in pursuit of a revised target of 106 from 11 overs when rain ended play 4.3 overs into their chase, just three deliveries short of the five overs required for an official result.

Hobart had elevated the powerful Chloe Tryon to open alongside Rachel Priest, and the powerful South African had raced to 26 from just 15 deliveries.

Earlier, Belinda Vakarewa struck with the second ball of the match to remove Georgia Redmayne without scoring, before Maddy Green (33 off 24) and skipper Jess Jonassen (29no from 27) got to work.

With a rain band moving in, scoring quickly was critical but Grace Harris did not have time to launch into the sort of match-winning attack she produced last Sunday, scoring a run-a-ball 13 before rain stopped play for the first time.

It was the sixth game of WBBL|06 to end without a result due to Sydney’s wet weather.

Sydney Sixers v Melbourne Stars - Match Abandoned without a ball bowled

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