Scorchers romp over Renegades; Strikers ease past Stars

Renegades dug their way out of a big hole at 20 for 4 to reach 136 for 6 at the WACA Ground in Perth on Saturday night, but it wasn't enough to prevent Scorchers from strolling to victory with 39 balls to spare.

Renegades suffered a top-order collapse, losing 4 for 5 in the space of 14 deliveries. Seamer Chloe Ainsworth (2 for 22) and Pakistan allrounder Fatima Sana (2 for 27), impressing on her WBBL debut, were the powerplay destroyers for Scorchers.

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews (7), Australian skipper Sophie Molineux (1), and Courtney Webb (6) succumbed within eight balls of each other, before legspinner Alana King dismissed Tess Flintoff (2) with her first delivery. Georgia Wareham (62) and wicketkeeper Nicole Faltum (48) rescued the visitors from complete humiliation, combining for a club record fifth-wicket partnership of 109.

Scorchers lost Katie Mack (9) early in the chase, but captain Beth Mooney (58no) and former skipper Sophie Devine (47*) were completely untroubled.

Devine applied the finishing touches when she heaved Wareham for back-to-back sixes to raise victory.

Adelaide Strikers 185 for 2 (Wolvaardt 70, McGrath 43*, Penna 36*, Garth 1-27) beat Melbourne Stars 164 for 7 (McKenna 40, Wellington 3-28, Larosa 2-23, Ecclestone 2-25) by 21 runs

After posting 185 for 2 at the Karen Rolton Oval, Strikers, without Megan Schutt (suspended for a prescription medication breach) and Darcie Brown (back injury), held the Stars to 164 for 7.

With Strikers' pace aces sidelined, legspinner Amanda Jade-Wellington (3 for 28), seamer Eleanor Larosa (2 for 23), and left-arm orthodox tweaker Sophie Ecclestone (2 for 25) stepped up to cut the visitors down.

Stars' chase started strongly, with Rhys McKenna (40) and captain Meg Lanning (32) putting on 77 for the first wicket before Wellington sparked a collapse. She trapped Lanning lbw, then dismissed Amy Jones (2) thanks to England star Ecclestone's one-handed hanger at mid-off.

"So pleased for the girls to get that first win and start our season well here," Wellington told Fox Cricket. "I feel like those two players (Schutt and Brown) are massive for our team. We went out there and showed what we can do without those girls."

Earlier, South African Laura Wolvaardt (70), skipper Tahlia McGrath (43*), and Madeline Penna (36* off 13 balls) carried Strikers to their equal second-highest score ever.

After Wolvaardt and McGrath put on 82 for the second wicket, Penna entered and clubbed four fours and three sixes in a whirlwind cameo, as Strikers blasted 76 off the last five overs, including 42 from the last two.