The only unbeaten side left in WBBL|12 puts its perfect record on the line on Saturday, when Perth Scorchers host Adelaide Strikers at the WACA. The Scorchers have won all five matches so far, while the Strikers arrive in mid-table after splitting their first four games.
The Scorchers sit top of the table on net run rate, ahead of the equally unbeaten Sydney Sixers, after chasing down 160 against the Sydney Thunder in their last outing. Sophie Devine has led from the front, hitting 55 off 24 balls against the Melbourne Stars and 37 in the Thunder win, while Katie Mack and Chloe Ainsworth, whose unbeaten 15 off eight balls finished the chase, have provided the support. Their five wins have come in different ways — defending 124 against the Stars and chasing 160 against the Thunder — which is why they sit top of the table.
The big question for the hosts is the fitness of captain Beth Mooney, who missed the Thunder game with quad tightness — the first Big Bash match she has ever missed in a 159-game career. Mikayla Friday took the wicketkeeping gloves in her absence, a first in her 84 Big Bash games, with Devine standing in as captain. The Scorchers will hope to have their captain back for a home game at the WACA, where the fast, bouncy pitch traditionally rewards their pace attack.
Adelaide, fifth on four points, have shown they can win tight games, most recently when Sophie Ecclestone hit the winning boundary off the last ball against the Hobart Hurricanes. Laura Wolvaardt’s 70 against the Stars showed their batting threat, and with captain Tahlia McGrath, Megan Schutt and Madeline Penna in the side, the Strikers have the experience to test the competition leaders. Ecclestone’s left-arm spin and Schutt’s new-ball swing will need to be at their best on a WACA pitch known as one of the fastest and bounciest in the world.
A sixth straight win would keep the Scorchers clear at the top and all but secure their finals place at the halfway mark of the season. For the Strikers, a win at the WACA would lift them into the top four and announce them as genuine contenders. The sides meet for the first time this season on Saturday. The match starts at 1:40 PM IST on Saturday, November 14, and will be shown live on JioHotstar and Star Sports.
Related:
- Scorchers Stay Perfect as Devine and Ainsworth Chase Down 160 Against Thunder in WBBL — https://t20star.com/scorchers-stay-perfect-as-devine-and-ainsworth-chase-down-160-against-thunder-in-wbbl/
- Sophie Ecclestone Hits Winning Boundary Off Last Ball as Adelaide Strikers Break Hobart Hurricanes’ Hearts in WBBL Thriller — https://t20star.com/sophie-ecclestone-hits-winning-boundary-off-last-ball-as-adelaide-strikers-break-hobart-hurricanes-hearts-in-wbbl-thriller/
