Hurricanes, Strikers open WBBL accounts in style

Hurricanes put the Stars in a spin at Junction Oval

Hobart Hurricanes’ new recruits have wasted no time making their mark, helping their team open their Rebel WBBL season with a 20-run over the Melbourne Stars.

After winning just two of 14 matches in WBBL|04, coach Salliann Briggs made a host of changes during the off-season and early signs suggest it may just pay off.

View the full scorecard HERE

With the bat, it was South African Chloe Tryon who ensured the Hurricanes’ innings ended in a flurry of boundaries as she struck an unbeaten 46 from just 18 deliveries, before Belinda Vakarewa (3-27) and Maisy Gibson (3-26) did the early damage with the ball in reply.

Sent in to bat by Stars skipper Elyse Villani, Hurricanes opener Erin Fazackerley made a typically aggressive start, before Stars quick Annabel Sutherland – just three days after graduating from high school – sent Stefanie Daffara’s (7) stumps flying, and England captain Heather Knight (10) was brilliantly run out by a direct hit from Chloe Rafferty.

Fazackerley steadied proceedings with another new ‘Cane, Nicola Carey, and was approaching a half-century when she fell to an excellent running catch on the boundary from Nicola Hancock, gone for 46 from 33.

Carey departed next ball, but just as the Stars looked to be fighting back, big-hitting South African Tryon came to the middle and wasted no time getting down to business, finding the boundary from the first two balls she faced.

She made the Stars pay for loose bowling in the death, the Hurricanes piling on 65 runs from the last five overs to reach 5-164.

Vakarewa then claimed the big wicket of Villani (0) just four balls into the Stars’ chase, following up with the scalp of Emma Inglis (4), before two in two from spinner Gibson removed star internationals Mignon du Preez (12) and Katey Martin (0), leaving the Stars in all sorts at 4-36.

Fighting knocks from Erin Osborne (40) and Tess Flintoff (34no) weren't enough for the Stars, but there was plenty to like in the 22-ball innings from debutante Flintoff. 

Devine intervention lifts Strikers, before a surprise steals the show

Adelaide Strikers' internationals starred with bat and ball to seal an emphatic six-wicket win over the Melbourne Renegades in their WBBL|05 opener.

View the full scorecard HERE

And following the win, there was an extra reason to celebrate when spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington's boyfriend Tayler sprung a surprise proposal. Fittingly, given Wellington's vast collection of Pokemon paraphernalia, he hid the ring in a Pokeball. 

Electing to bowl, Megan Schutt gave the Strikers a dream start when she picked up the huge wicket of Danielle Wyatt (1) in the third over before hanging on to a ripping overhead chance two balls later to send Sophie Molineux on her way for 10.

The world’s best T20I bowler kept the pressure right on the Renegades, bowling out her four overs in the first half of the innings to finish with 2-13.

That pressure paid off at the other end, too, as Windies star Stafanie Taylor made a dream start to her Strikers career, picking up the wickets of English star Tammy Beaumont and local Claire Koski with her first over.

From 4-21, it was left to new Renegades skipper Jess Duffin to rebuild and her 32-ball 44, combined with a handy 20no from Josie Dooley on debut, took the tally to 7-117.

It was a total that seemed far from enough against a star-studded Strikers batting line-up, but it took just five deliveries from Kiwi quick Lea Tahuhu for the Renegades to declare ‘game on’ with Suzie Bates (2) and Tahlia McGrath (0) falling to leave Adelaide 2-4.

However, the Renegades had no answer for Bates’ ‘Smash Sister’ Sophie Devine, who raced to a half-century from 29 deliveries and formed a match-winning partnership with Taylor (29), finishing unbeaten on 72 from 45 balls as the Strikers started their campaign with a win.

To come on Sunday:

Three WBBL|05 games feature in an action-packed Sunday:

- Melbourne Stars v Hobart Hurricanes, Junction Oval, 2pm AEDT

- Adelaide Strikers v Melbourne Renegades, Karen Rolton Oval, 2pm AECT

- Sydney Thunder v Brisbane Heat, North Sydney Oval, 2pm AEDT

You can catch the Thunder v Heat on the Seven Network, Fox Cricket, Kayo and the CA Live app, while the remaining matches will be streamed live and free by cricket.com.au, the CA Live app, Kayo and the WBBL Facebook page.