Thunderous Haynes dismantles Stars

Sydney Thunder eased to a nine-wicket victory on a hot day at the Howell Oval. It was Haynes who was to play an important innings as the Australian captain scored her third fifty of this years WBBL. The Thunder won with 29 balls to spare as they beat the Stars for the second time in the space of a week.

There was some expectation when at the toss the Thunder captain Alex Blackwell put the Melbourne Stars into bat. The inform Lizelle Lee the South African batter was due to open. On her day Lee can clear the ropes with ease.

It was not to be today as Lee hitting the first ball of the game from Rene Farrell to Rachael Haynes; the power with which Lee strikes the ball was evident when Haynes stayed down after taking the catch.

It brought Lee’s South African team-mate Mignon du Preez and seemed to find the pace of the pitch to her liking. In the heat of the and on a worn pitch it took Anna Lanning more time to get going. It meant that the scoring wasn’t at the freest flowing. After the overs the score was 56 for 1.

The Stars were helped by dropped catches, Lanning was dropped on 21, but it was du Preez who was to benefit from the drops most; Belinda Vakarewa who fielding on the long off could only parry a Farrell delivery for six.

It wasn’t the only catch that Vakarewa would put down and again it was as again the former South African captain who would benefit. du Preez and Lanning were building a steady partnership, it would come to an end with the partnership on 85. Lanning looking to hit out against Sam Bates can only find Vakarewa who finally takes a catch.

It brought in the England international Georgia Elwiss who was quick between the wickets and it allowed the Stars to up the run-rate, as she supported du Preez who was moving around her crease to manipulate the gaps in the field.

It was to lead to her downfall though as shuffling across her stumps and hitting towards deep mid-wicket, Maisy Gibson the bowler ensured the shot wasn’t timed well and Nicola Carey took the catch. Elwiss with a cameo of 23 not out from 20 balls helped the Stars get up to 132 for 4. It looked at least 20 runs short.

When you don’t have the runs on the board Rachel Priest and Rachael Haynes are two batters you don’t want to see open up. They are capable of taking any attack apart. It is Priest that is usually the aggressor of the two.

Haynes is the player in form and took just 32 balls to bring her fifty. Priest didn’t need to take the try anything extravagant and with the run-rate well in control she came down the wicket to Erin Osborne; the ball turned, and it clipped the under edge to bowl Priest for 42.

Haynes was intent in getting the game over as quickly as possible and hit Alana King for back to back sixes. Haynes was there at the end to show her dominance on the match. The Thunder are one of the teams to beat this year and they showed just why today.

Sydney Thunder v Melbourne Stars

Melbourne Stars 132 for 4 (du Preez 58, Bates 1 for 16)

Sydney Thunder 135 for 1 (Haynes 78 not out, Osborne 1 for 26)