Thunder Strike to Shoot down Stars

Melbourne Stars will wonder where it all went wrong as they fell to another defeat. It was a professional performance by the Sydney Thunder as they eased to an eight-wicket win at the Lavington Sports Ground, Albury.

Lizelle Lee and Anna Lanning did get the Stars off to a perfect start with an opening stand of 40 inside the powerplay. Lee looked in full flow as she hit five fours and a six until she skied a catch to Harmanpreet Kaur at mid-on; the catch wasn’t certain as it was hit high and with Nicola Carey also converging on the ball it took a calm Kaur to hold on.

It saw a slump in the Stars batting order as 40 for 1 became 73 for 6. Several experienced batters succumbed to some tight Thunder bowling and the pressure of setting a target. Mignon du Preez was second to fall for 3; Stafanie Taylor taking the catch at backward point from the bowling of Carey.

The England player Georgia Elwiss in her first WBBL game followed soon after as a Yorker from Carey beat her defence.

Harmanpreet Kaur took three wickets over the course of the Stars innings the first of which was Katie Mack who tried sweep her second ball but missed and the umpire raised his finger to confirm the dismissal lbw.

The Stars had a chance while Anna Lanning was still at the crease but on 25 she hit the ball straight at Maisy Gibson who’s pick up and throw saw Lanning out of her ground by a long way. Gibson followed that up in the next over when she had Emma Kearney lbw going back to a ball that the batter tried to tickle through the legside.

Gibson’s four overs went for just 20 runs as the Thunder looked to take control. It was one of a number of impressive spells of bowling and Rene Farrell was as good as ever, but it was Kaur that took the most wickets finishing with figures of 3 for 18.

What had the potential to be a solid total by the Stars turned into a turgid 114 for 8. In truth, it was never enough for the Thunder’s impressive batting line up, and their openers of Rachael Haynes and Rachel Priest set about easing their side to victory.

The impressive opening combo breezed to 46 for 0 from the powerplay. The Australian and New Zealander complemented each other and unsettled the bowling who were never sure where to bowl.

There aren’t many batters in the world who can score quicker than Priest, but today it was Haynes that did that. Playing well-timed shots that were never slogged Haynes scored a rapid 50 from just 31 balls that contained seven fours and a six.

With the hard work done and a partnership of 86, it was Priest who was first to fall as she found Erin Osborne on the boundary to give Gemma Triscari the wicket. Haynes went 9 runs later but in truth, it was too late for the stars.

Sydney Thunder had Taylor and captain Alex Blackwell to see them over the line for a comfortable 8 wicket victory with 33 balls to spare.

Melbourne Stars v Sydney Thunder

Melbourne Stars 114 for 8 (Lee 31, Kaur 3 for 18)

Sydney Thunder 115 for 2 (Haynes 54, Triscari 1 for 10)