Cricket News By TODAYLIVESCORE.INFO - Renegades, Strikers make winning start to WBBL campaign. Tahlia McGrath's all-round brilliance led Adelaide Strikers to a comprehensive 30-run win
Tahlia McGrath's all-round brilliance led Adelaide Strikers to a comprehensive 30-run win
Melbourne Renegades Women vs Hobart Hurricanes Women
Melbourne Renegades made a winning start to their WBBL campaign with a six-wicket win over Hobart Hurricanes. Georgia Wareham and skipper Sophie Molineux shared five wickets between them to help restrict the Hurricanes to 121 before they were bowled out in their 20 overs. Naomi Stalenberg top-scored with 28 while only three others got scores in the 20s. The others returned single-digit scores after having opted to bat in the first of two games on Saturday (October 16) at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
In the chase, all of Renegades' top four chipped in with the bat and stitched stands to get the side over the line. Opener Jemimah Rodrigues top-scored with a 34-ball 33, who with Courtney Webb (31), added a 68-run stand for the second wicket to as good as get the job done. Both, however, fell in the span of two balls, leaving the finishing job to Harmanpreet Kaur, who remained unbeaten on 24 off 19.
Brief scores: Hobart Hurricanes Women 121 in 20 overs (Naomi Stalenberg 28; Georgia Wareham 3-13) lost to Melbourne Renegades 125/4 in 19.2 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 33, Courtney Webb 31; Belinda Vakarewa 2-21) by 6 wickets.
Sydney Thunder Women vs Adelaide Strikers Women
In the second game of the day, skipper Tahlia McGrath's all-round brilliance led Adelaide Strikers to a comprehensive 30-run win over Sydney Thunder. After being asked to bat by Thunder, McGrath steadied the ship with a 34-ball 42 post early wickets with her side being reduced to 26 for 3. She stitched a 69-run stand with Madeline Penna (35) to take the Strikers past 100. Both fell in the 17th over, but Amanda Wellington's cameo ensured the side finished with a competitive 140 on the board.
With the ball, McGrath struck early to get the big wicket of Smriti Mandhana. She added to her tally with two more of the set batter pair of Corinne Hall (38) and Anika Learoyd (23) in the 15th over, ending their 59-run association. No other batter thereafter got into double figures as the Strikers wrapped up a comfortable win, with Thunder being bowled out for 110 in 19.2 overs and McGrath returning 3-17 in her four.
Brief scores: Adelaide Strikers Women 140/7 in 20 overs (Tahlia McGrath 42, Madeline Penna 35; Sammy-Jo Johnson 2-22, Lauren Smith 2-17) beat Sydney Thunder Women 110 in 19.2 overs (Corinne Hall 38, Anika Learoyd 23; Tahlia McGrath 3-17, Amanda Wellington 2-20, Sarah Coyte 2-18) by 30 runs.
