Arousing performance with the ball has seen the Perth Scorchers defend 116 against the Sydney Thunder in a low-scoring matter on the WACA grounds.
The scorchers were in good hands in an inning that was only seven-fours and six goals away, but their bowling attack – led by the three wickets of Irishman Kim Garth – saw them win eleven races.
England international Natalie Sciver struck a blow with the fourth thunder-hunting ball and removed opener Rachel Priest without scoring a goal before Taneale Peschel scored the first ball to free Thunder captain Rachael Haynes for a golden duck.
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Defending 116, this was exactly the start the Scorcher needed with openers Stalenberg and Haynes back in the sheds!
— Rebel Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL) November 12, 2019
LIVE: https://t.co/Omw1VALJGh #WBBL05 pic.twitter.com/vHQJN2g6gV
The situation worsened after the 2-0 win when experienced Alex Blackwell (6) was caught by Garth, who soon caught up a second to dismiss Tahlia Wilson (0).
As the gates continued to fall, Nida Dar (43 of 39) played a lonely hand, but it was not enough to reach the final with the Pakistani Allrounder as the last wicket.
Garth led the wicket 3-1 from their four overs and was well-supported by a stingy Scorcher attack including Heather Graham (2-16) and Sciver (2-18).
The scorchers who were sent to bat raised Georgia Redmayne (0) to the top of the rankings alongside Amy Jones, but the train did not pay off when it was caught by the Ismail bowling from the second ball of the match.
Jones and captain Meg Lanning struggled to improve to 0-34 at the end of the power play, but Jones’ transplant was too low when they were caught by Rene Farrell from the first ball of the seventh round lbw.
Lanning began producing the types of shots she is famous for, finding the border twice and clearing it with a great punch, but was dropped in 25 unfortunate circumstances as the ball bounced back onto their stumps.
For eight Overs, not a single boundary with Sciver and Graham was forced to work hard for their runs.
Defending 116, this was exactly the start the Scorcher needed with openers Stalenberg and Haynes back in the sheds!
— Rebel Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL) November 12, 2019
LIVE: https://t.co/Omw1VALJGh #WBBL05 pic.twitter.com/vHQJN2g6gV
They worked hard and pressed the deuces to keep the scoreboard running, while some stunning parades of Ismail on the rope cut off the few shots that looked like they could cross the line.
Graham (27) prevailed in the 19th with a 4; Their 43-run score with Sciver (27) was crucial to bring the Scorchers to 6-116.
The Thunder are now returning home to host a WBBL festival weekend at the Drummoyne Oval, which begins with a blockbuster on Friday night against the Sixers.
The scorchers, who have now won three at the same time, are also traveling to Sydney, where they will face Brisbane Heat at 10 am on Sunday at Drummoyne Oval.
