The ninth match of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) was played between Melbourne Renegades and Adelaide Strikers at the Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide, where the Strikers registered their maiden win of the tournament.
They defeated the Renegades by seven wickets, courtesy of a fantastic innings by opener Laura Wolvaardt. The South African skipper played with great control, scoring an unbeaten 71 off just 48 balls. Chasing a target of 142, the Strikers got the job done comfortably in 17.4 overs, giving their season the push it needed.
To begin the proceedings, the Strikers won the toss and chose to field first. The Renegades’ innings was anchored by opener Courtney Webb, who top-scored with a steady 46 off 39 balls, hitting six fours. Captain Georgia Wareham added 30 off 23, but the rest of the batters struggled to keep up the momentum.
Spinner Sophie Ecclestone and pacer Darcie Brown were sharp with the ball, taking two wickets each while giving away only 24 runs in their full quota of overs. The remaining bowlers chipped in with a wicket apiece, and the Renegades could only reach 141 for 9 in their 20 overs, scoring at a run rate of 7.05.
Chasing the target, the Strikers needed a steady and a positive start, and openers Tammy Beaumont and Laura Wolvaardt provided exactly that. They put on a strong partnership, and the first wicket fell only at 63 in the 7.3 over. Madeline Penna was dismissed for 5 off 13, but Wolvaardt kept finding boundaries regularly and never allowed any pressure to build.
Tahlia McGrath also fell to Tess Flintoff, who was the Renegades’ most successful bowler with 2 wickets for 27 runs in her four overs. The Renegades tried as many as seven bowlers, but none could stop Wolvaardt’s domination.
With this win, the Strikers claimed their first two points after their opening game was abandoned. The Melbourne Renegades, meanwhile, have now played three matches and sit second on the table with two wins.
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