3 minute read

The Melbourne Stars and the Hobart Hurricanes recorded wins over the Adelaide Strikers and the Melbourne Renegades in their respective WBBL matches.

A Meg Lanning half-century guided the Melbourne Stars to a seven-wicket win over the Adelaide Strikers and to the top of the WBBL ladder.

Chasing 157 for victory, the Stars looked to be cruising with Lanning (69 off 58 balls) and South African Mignon du Preez (31 from 26 balls) at the crease before they got the wobbles with the finish line in sight.

However, a six from allrounder Nat Sciver, her only runs of the innings, got them home with two balls to spare at Blacktown International Sports Park.

The Stars got off to a flying start in their chase with Elyse Villani belting eight boundaries in her quickfire 43 off just 28 balls before skipper Lanning took command.

The wicket of South African du Preez in the 17th over with just 11 runs to get signalled a mini-crisis for the Stars as the runs dries up and when Lanning holed out in the deep off the bowling of Sarah Coyte (1-28) in the final over it was left to Sciver to ice the game.

Madeline Pena (2-11, two overs) was the pick of the Adelaide bowlers.

Laura Wolvaardt's 68 off 50 balls, which included four sixes, set the platform in the Strikers innings as they made 6-154 off their 20 overs.

Sciver (2-34) and Alana King (2-23) were the Stars' wicket takers.

The Stars have won their two matches this season with three washed out while the Strikers lost for the third time.

In Tuesday's early game, the Hobart Hurricanes crushed the Melbourne Renegades by nine wickets to climb off the foot of the ladder.

The Hurricanes bowled the Renegades out for a meagre 81 and reeled in their target with 45 balls to spare.

Both outfits entered the fixture winless from four games - two of which were washed out.

Only three Renegades batters reached double figures as they were skittled in 19.5 overs - with New Zealander Amy Satterthwaite top-scoring with 20 from 28 balls.

Australia stalwart Nicola Carey tore through the middle order, taking 3-14, while Hayley Matthews returned superb figures of 2-9 from her four overs.

Belinda Vakarewa claimed 2-12 and Sasha Moloney was on a hat-trick during her four-over spell of 2-12.

Hobart's opening batters Rachel Priest (34) and Naomi Stalenberg (35 no) put on 56 from the initial 10 overs with their chase a mere formality.

Satterthwaite (1-11) was the only successful Renegades bowler as the Hurricanes jumped up to sixth spot, just two points adrift of top spot.