Top order, Schutt deflate Scorchers
A fluent performance from the top-three and a vicious new-ball spell from Megan Schutt (3-19) took Adelaide Strikers to a comfortable 30-run win over Perth Scorchers. The defending champions are already out of the tournament but these consolation wins will affect the teams that are in the playoffs race like the Scorchers. On a wonderful batting pitch at the Karen Rolton Oval, Strikers raced off in a flash through Smriti Mandhana (41 off 29) and Katie Mack (41 off 34) who put on a fluent 81-run opening stand to put the pressure on Scorchers straightaway.
The latter was her usual trigger-happy self at the crease while using the pace of the bowlers. It gave Strikers the early impetus before Mandhana took charge with her brand of crisp strokeplay. Both batters fell in relatively quick succession as the Scorchers tried to pull things. Laura Wolvaardt (48 off 28) started slowly but Tahlia McGrath (18 off 14) kept the momentum going with a couple of sixes before the skipper perished in the power surge. It was at that point that Wolvaardt hit top gear with successive sixes off Chloe Ainsworth to increase the tempo.
Scorchers skipper Sophie Devine (2-28) had an excellent outing, and along with Alana King, ensured that the final two overs went at a frugal pace. Strikers, who were aiming for 180-plus at one stage, fell marginally short of 170. It seemed an under-par total for this venue but the Strikers bowling line-up finally showed glimpses of the prowess that had won them the last two seasons of the WBBL. Schutt cranked it up by removing Maddy Darke and Dayalan Hemalatha in each of her first two overs. Scorchers improvised by promoting Amy Edgar but the guile of Schutt was too much for her.
It got worse for the visitors as Beth Mooney fell in the final over of the PowerPlay to leave the side at 17/4. Devine (35 off 31) and WBBL debutant Brooke Halliday (47 off 44) tried to repair the innings but they never got the desired tempo to the chase. It was only a matter of time before the partnership was broken and Devine duly fell in trying to hit out. Halliday dug in a bit more but without much success. Alana King (29* off 19) produced a cameo at the end to ensure that the margin of defeat wasn't as big as it threatened to be. At the fag end of this tournament. net run rate could be a factor for the Scorchers.
@B0$ Adelaide Strikers 169/6 in 20 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 48, Smriti Mandhana 41; Alana King 3-29, Sophie Devine 2-28) beat Perth Scorchers 139/8 in 20 overs (Brooke Halliday 47, Sophie Devine 35; Megan Schutt 3-19, Amanda-Jade Wellington 2-26) by 30 runs