Perth Scorchers Women edged Melbourne Renegades Women by four wickets in a tense 25th match of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) 11 at Junction Oval, chasing down 150 with eight balls to spare. The contest swung dramatically in both innings, with Sophie Devine and Alice Capsey producing standout all round performances for their respective sides.
Melbourne Renegades, sent in after Perth elected to field, posted 150 thanks largely to an aggressive late surge from wicketkeeper Nicole Faltum. Coming in after a stuttering top order, Faltum anchored the back end of the innings with an unbeaten 41 off 28 balls, striking six boundaries and counterattacking after the Renegades had slipped to 94 for 7. She found vital support from Sarah Coyte, whose 24 off 18 balls formed part of a 46 run eighth wicket stand that transformed a below par score into a competitive total on a surface offering true bounce.
Earlier, the Scorchers’ bowlers had dominated the middle overs after a steady but unspectacular powerplay from the Renegades. Chloe Ainsworth (2/17) and captain Sophie Devine (2/16) both struck key blows, with Devine removing counterpart Sophie Molineux cheaply and Ainsworth triggering a collapse that left the host reeling. With wickets tumbling, Perth’s bowlers were able to squeeze the scoring rate, before Faltum’s late flurry pushed the Renegades to exactly 150, all out off the final ball of the innings.
In reply, Scorchers’ chase was built around a blistering assault from Devine at the top of the order. Promoted to open, the New Zealand star smashed 46 off just 24 deliveries, peppering the boundary with six fours and two sixes to ensure the Scorchers were always ahead of the required run rate. Beth Mooney provided an ideal foil with a composed 41 from 31 balls, rotating strike smartly and punishing anything loose as the pair added a rapid partnership that seemed to have the result all but sealed inside the first half of the innings.
However, the contest was reignited by a superb spell from young English allrounder Alice Capsey. Capsey ripped through the middle order, claiming four wickets for just 14 runs in three overs, including the dismissals of Beth Mooney to spark a mini collapse with a triple-strike. From a dominant position, Scorchers suddenly found themselves six down and under real pressure, with the required rate climbing and the Renegades’ fielders buzzing in the ring.
Freya Kemp and Lilly Mills then displayed impressive composure to drag the Scorchers over the line in the closing overs. Kemp’s unbeaten 18 off 14 balls and Mills’ 15 not out from 16 deliveries steadied the chase, as the pair picked off singles, punished the rare loose ball and refused to panic despite the tightening equation. Their unbroken stand ensured Perth reached 151 for 6 in 18.4 overs, sealing a valuable win that keeps their campaign firmly on track while leaving the Renegades to rue missed chances and the inability to fully capitalise on Capsey’s brilliant spell.
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