3 minute read

Heather Graham has shown class and poise with bat and ball to ensure a perfect WBBL weekend in Adelaide for Perth Scorchers.

The giant-slaying Perth Scorchers have made it two wins from as many WBBL games in their weekend double-header after upsetting Sydney Thunder by seven runs.

After surviving a last-ball thriller against the second-placed Adelaide Strikers on Saturday, the Scorchers held their nerve to down the top-placed Thunder on Sunday at Karen Rolton Oval.

Allrounder Heather Graham was the star with bat and ball.

After thumping two sixes in her undefeated 33 off 20 balls to lift the Scorchers to 5-151, player-of-the-match Graham snared 3-22 off four overs, her batting and bowling in the clutch crucial in each innings.

Despite missing captain Rachael Haynes (foot infection) and teenager Phoebe Litchfield (year 10 exams), the Thunder maintained a decent pace during much of the chase, which was set up by opener Naomi Stalenberg's quickfire 30.

Tahlia Wilson, in her first game in Thunder colours, top-scored with 47 not out and combined for a 57-run third-wicket union with stand-in skipper Alex Blackwell (29).

But after Blackwell departed, the task proved too tough for the Thunder, thanks largely to Graham's tight death bowling.

Graham's late flurry with the bat provided the polish to the foundation provided by Nat Sciver (37) and Georgia Redmayne (35) after the Scorchers had wobbled early.

Saturday's heroes Amy Jones and skipper Meg Lanning both fell for six.

Jones's stumps were rocked by a Shabnim Ismail thunderbolt and Lanning dragging on a wide one from Rene Farrell.

Sciver was the aggressor in her 59-run stand with Redmayne before Graham did the rest.