Devine, Patterson, Jonassen shine on ‘no green’ Saturday

It wasn't a day for 'green' as both Melbourne Stars and Sydney Thunder lost their respective clashes against Adelaide Strikers and Brisbane Heat on Saturday (November 16) in the fifth season of the Women's Big Bash League. What's more, both the green-outfit units were restricted to 96, after each of them decided to bowl first!

In the first clash of the day at Nuriootpa Centennial Park, Sophie Devine and Bridget Patterson’s unconquered 102-run partnership lit up the ground as Adelaide Strikers made merry to post 153. After a decent start, they lost two wickets for just 19 runs with Suzie Bates and Tahlia McGrath being dismissed. Holly Ferling got rid of Bates (18) while Alana King sent McGrath (10) back.

Devine kept moving steadily post that, bringing up her tenth WBBL fifty. It was her fourth such score in successive games, second against Melbourne Stars, after finishing unbeaten on 85 in their previous clash on Sunday (November 10). In company of Patterson, who finished undefeated on 41 in just 29 balls, Devine denied the Stars bowlers any success after the ninth over.

Erin Osborne’s third over, the 18^th of the innings, was where the wheels truly came off for the Stars. 21 runs were scored off those six balls, including two fours and a six sandwiched between them by Patterson and a six by Devine. Eventually, the Kiwi batter finished unbeaten on 77 off 58 balls – scoring 27 runs off her last 14 balls.

In reply, chasing 154, Stars were never in the game. After her heroics with the willow, Devine shone with the ball as well, picking up three for 13 in her three overs. Lizelle Lee (six), Mignon du Preez (five) and Osborne (14) were her victims. McGrath also picked up a couple of wickets as Stars lost the game by 57 runs. Nicola Hancock’s unbeaten 26 was the only significant knock for the side in green.

In the second match of the day, Sydney Thunder were bowled out for 96 at Drummoyne Oval as Brisbane Heat won by 32 runs. Batting first, Heat didn’t have the best of starts with the bat, losing wickets regularly, thereby being devoid of much momentum. But Beth Mooney (22) kept going despite not being at her best. Eventually she was cleaned up by Shabnim Ismail, who ended up with two for 24.

Nida Dar, who also picked up two wickets, applied the brakes on scoring in the middle phase. However, some useful contribution down the order by Laura Harris and a quick knock by Amelia Kerr ensured Heat had a fighting total. Harris scored 30 while Kerr was unbeaten on a 16-ball 21.

Chasing 129, Rachel Priest and Rachael Haynes (11) never got going. When Priest (13) threatened to break the shackles, a brilliant fielding effort and a rocket through by Georgia Prestwidge caught her short at the wicketkeeper’s end.

From then, Thunder were merely playing the catch-up game and fell well short of the target. Jess Jonassen picked up four wickets to finish with four for 13, which are the best figures in this edition of the WBBL so far. It was her second four-wicket haul in the season.

Brief Scores:

Adelaide Strikers 153/2 in 20 overs (Sophie Devine 77*, Bridget Patterson 41*; Holly Ferling 1/11) beat Melbourne Stars 96/8 in 20 overs (Nicola Hancock 26*; Sophie Devine 3/13, Tahlia McGrath 2/19) by 57 runs.

Brisbane Heat 128/8 in 20 overs (Laura Harris 30, Beth Mooney 22; Nida Dar 2/15, Shabnim Ismail 2/24) beat Sydney Thunder 96 all out in 19.1 overs (Tahlia Wilson 19; Jess Jonassen 4/13, Delissa Kimmince 2/13) by 32 runs.