The Melbourne Cricket Ground will host the in-form Perth Scorchers and Sydney Thunder, seeded 3rd and 2nd respectively, with 4 wins from 6 games, in match no. 27 of the ongoing 10th edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL). The game is scheduled for the 15th of November 2024, at 10:15 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Squads:
Perth Scorchers Women
Sophie Devine, Chloe Ainsworth, Stella Campbell, Maddy Darke, Dayalan Hemalatha, Amy Edgar, Mikayla Hinkley, Ebony Hoskin, Amy Jones, Brooke Halliday, Alana King, Carly Leeson, Lilly Mills, Beth Mooney, Chloe Piparo, Ni Made Putri Suwandewi
Sydney Thunder Women
Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Adams, Chamari Athapaththu, Sam Bates, Ella Briscoe, Hannah Darlington, Sienna Eve, Saskia Horley, Shabnim Ismail, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Heather Knight, Anika Learoyd, Claire Moore, Taneale Peschel, Georgia Voll, Tahlia Wilson
Players to watch out:
Dayalan Hemalatha
The 30-year-old top-order batter in India’s premier T20 competition has posted 266 runs from 15 WPL innings, with a strike rate of 143.78, an average of 26.60, and the highest score of 74. Dayalan had a quiet start to this maiden WBBL campaign, departing on scores of 13, 7, 12, and 8, before finally managing a solid 41 in her most recent outing, and hopefully capitalizes on this return to form with substantial scores.
Alana King
The 28-year-old leg-spinner, from 110 WBBL outings, has scalped 120 wickets at an average of 20.22, with an economy rate of 6.67, and from 67 innings, has added 602 runs at a strike rate of 108.86. Alana has been a consistent performer in the WBBL, taking 68 wickets in previous 4 seasons, and her returns this season read 3/20, 2/35, 5/16, 3/23, 0/37, and 1/18. The seasoned spinner can be counted on for breakthroughs and handy runs.
Phoebe Litchfield
The 21-year-old top-order batter, from 69 WBBL innings, has amassed 1,421 runs at an average of 25.37, a strike rate of 115.15, and the highest score of 68. Phoebe was in notable form leading up to this WBBL season, and continuing in that form, notched up a fifty in the opener. Though she departed for 8 in the subsequent outing, she followed up with scores of 49, 40, 34, and 27, and can be relied upon to lead the tally.
Shabnim Ismail
The 36-year-old pacer, from 61 WBBL innings, has picked up 58 wickets at an economy rate of 6.12, with the best of 3/10. Shabnim took 13 wickets from as many outings in the WBBL last year, at an economy rate of 6.22, and again this season, she has been economical (6.66) and among the wickets, with bowling returns of 0/30, 1/29, 3/18, 1/22, 0/20, and 2/31. She can be relied upon to spearhead the attack.
Pitch:
The 22-yard strip at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is known for its well-balanced nature, providing a fair contest between bat and ball. The pitch offers ample support for spinners, while batters can also enjoy scoring freely, with an average score in the 130s.
Weather:
The conditions in Melbourne are forecast to be pleasant for the game, with clear skies and no chance of rain. The temperature is expected to hover around 19°C, with light winds and 55% humidity.
Fantasy playing XI:
Beth Mooney, Phoebe Litchfield, Georgia Voll, Heather Knight, Chamari Athapaththu, Sophie Devine, Amy Edgar, Sam Bates, Alana King, Chloe Ainsworth, Hannah Darlington
Match details:
Date – November 15, 2024
Time – 10:15 AM IST
Venue – Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Broadcast – The game will be telecasted by the Star Sports Network and live-streamed on Disney+ Hotstar.
Loves all things female cricket
