- Scorchers win by 27 runs at Optus Stadium
- To meet Sydney Sixers or Adelaide Strikers in final
The Perth Scorchers qualified for the WBBL title decider after thrashing the Sydney Thunder by 27 runs in Thursday’s semi-final showdown at Optus Stadium. Chasing 149 for victory, the Thunder crashed to 5-46 in the 11th over before limping to 8-121 from their 20 overs.
Spinner Emma King (3-17 from four overs) starred with the ball to help bury the Thunder. The Scorchers will now play either the Sydney Sixers or Adelaide Strikers in Sunday’s final. Perth lost last season’s final to the Sixers, but they now have the chance to erase those painful memories.
The Thunder were warm favourites to beat the Scorchers in the semi-final after finishing the season in second spot. But the third-placed Scorchers were controversially gifted home-ground advantage because the match was being played as a curtain raiser to the men’s BBL semi-final.
Scorchers openers Elyse Villani (38 off 37) and Nicole Bolton (37 off 26) combined for a 65-run opening stand to help set up the Scorchers’ innings. Natalie Sciver (38 off 28) and Heather Graham (27 off 29) kept the momentum going to lift the Scorchers to a formidable 2-148.
Villani (519) became just the fourth player to score more than 500 runs in a WBBL season. She has combined with Bolton for 996 runs this campaign.
West Indies spinner Stafanie Taylor (1-23 off four overs) helped to slow the Scorchers’ run rate after the home side had shot out to be 1-78 off 10 overs, but the bulk of the damage had already been done.
The Thunder’s victory hopes were all but over after slumping to 3-35 in the eighth over. Fran Wilson (46 off 28), Rachel Priest (25 off 19), and Nicola Carey (22) were the only Thunder players to post scores of any substance.
Post a Comment