Adelaide Strikers opened their WBBL defence with the largest margin of victory in the event’s history. Melbourne Stars was chasing the lowest score in WBBL history, 179, when they were bowled out for an incredible 29 in just 10 overs.
Leg spinners Amanda-Jade Wellington (3 for 4) and Anesu Mushangwe (2 for 12), along with Megan Schutt (3 for 3), utterly crushed Meg Lanning’s team.
Lanning was the first to fall in the second over, unable to get past Megan Schutt at midwicket. The next over saw Anesu Mushangwe remove Alice Capsley and Sophia Dunkley; Amanda-Jade Wellington was then brought in, and the score swiftly rose from 14/3 to 16/6. Five balls after being knocked out on her debut delivery by the leg spinner, Maia Bouchier drove Kim Garth back into the pavilion.
The goaltender Nicole Faltum became Schutt’s third victim, bringing Stars down to 16/7. Wellington eliminated Rhys McKenna and Tahlia McGrath with just 63 balls remaining in the innings.
The Strikers’ incredible score of 177/3 was made possible by a record-breaking opening partnership of 135 runs between Katie Mack (86 off 50 balls) and Laura Wolvaardt (47 off 36 balls), the highest partnership for any wicket by the team. Captain Tahlia McGrath’s cameo of 34* Off 19 helped the side amass a very respectable total, even though Sophie Day could only manage 3 for 24.
Brief Scores:
Adelaide Strikers Women 177/3 (Mack 86; Day 3-24) beat Melbourne Stars Women 29 all out in 9.3 overs (Schutt 3-3, Wellington 3-4) by 148 runs
