Thunder quality shines over Stars

The Sydney Thunder showed just why they are amongst the favourites to win WBBL|04. It was a competent win against Melbourne Stars at the Bankstown Oval. The Thunder won by 5 runs as Nicola Carey put in a player of the match contribution.

They were made to work hard for the victory as the Stars who won the toss. The Strars took wickets at regular intervals. The Thunder total was indebted to a 50-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Carey and Hannah Trenaman to get them to a defendable total.

Carey who is usually a match winner with the ball top-scored for the Thunder with 39 not out from 32 balls. With 2 overs left of the Thunder innings, they were on only 6 for 93. Four boundaries were scored in those last two overs from the experienced bowlers of Georgia Elwiss and Erin Osborne.

Earlier in the innings, Annabel Sutherland took the wickets of Racheal Haynes and Harmanpreet Kaur in the same over. Having already lost Rachel Priest the Thunder were 3 for 37 at the end of the seventh over. Sutherland would finish with figures of 2 for 17.

Only the Stars top order that contributed any runs with Alana King the only Stars player outside the top three to score in double figures. They still went into the final overs with an outside chance of winning. Although, they would need to score 13 from the final six balls.

Maisy Gibson with 3 for 22 ensured that the Stars chase faltered at important times. Lizelle Lee was not at her fluent best. Gibson brought into the attack struck with her first ball as Lee looked to sweep a ball on middle stump and missed to go lbw.

Later in the Stars innings, Gibson found herself on a hat-trick ball as she again bowling a tight line trapped Elwiss lbw. The next ball took a sharp catch from Priest to send Katie Mack on her way.

Priest also took a reaction type stumping to give Carey her first wicket of the day; Osborne was out first ball and the Stars were 3 for 71.

Wickets fell at regular intervals as the Thunder bowling line-up to extinguished any threat from the Stars. Mignon du Preez was caught and bowled by Stafanie Taylor it felt like it was the end of the Stars chances.

This defeat that means the Stars cannot make the semi-finals but the Thunder are on course for a home semi.