Scorchers stroll to a blazing win over Strikers

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Jamie Ramage
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Meg Lanning of Australia in action. ©ICC

A century partnership between Meg Lanning and Amy Jones saw the Perth Scorchers win their final game of WBBL|04. The temperatures in Alice Springs were energy sapping; there was none of that in the performance of the Scorchers openers. They were out on the field for every ball of the game as they strolled to a ten-wicket win.

The Scorchers had lost their game yesterday against the Adelaide Strikers. Results elsewhere meant that this game was a dead rubber. It was the Scorchers, however, who came out with the intent of this game being a must win. They made changes to the side and would be without Elyse Villani. It was also announced that it would be Lauren Ebsary’s last game before retiring; her side made sure she marked it with the win.

They managed to keep Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates quiet in the powerplay, which they hadn’t just 24 hours earlier. Hayley Jensen was the bowler that was targeted yesterday she got her revenge when she Devine was caught at Gully for just 8.

The Strikers top order found runs hard to come by. At the halfway stage the score was 2 for 54. It would take some big hitting from Amada-Jade Wellington and Megan Schutt to propel the Strikers to a defendable 6 for 140.

At the end of the eighteenth over the Strikers were 5 for 110. In the following over Jensen conceded 5 fours as Wellington took the attack to the bowlers. Schutt joined Wellington in the final over she hit a six to take the Strikers to an extraordinary turnaround.

Lanning is a consistent batter and when she failed to score big yesterday it was inevitable, she would score runs today. She passed the fifty run mark for the fifth time in nine innings from just 30 balls. She made batting look so effortless and was able to make use of the bowlers bowling a leg stump line.

Jones wasn’t to be outdone and while it took her more time to get her eye in, she matched Lanning throughout the innings as the Scorchers openers did not look as if they would be dismissed today.

Lanning and Jones would both finish unbeaten on 70 not out as the Scorchers won with 20 balls to spare.

The win also ensured that the Scorchers above the Strikers in fifth place, just missing out on that final semi-final place.
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