Women’s Big Bash League: Underdogs Sydney Thunder defeat Melbourne Stars by seven wickets
Sydney Thunder have demolished the Melbourne Stars in the final of the Women’s Big Bash League, winning by seven wickets.
Sydney Thunder are the WBBL 06 cricket champions, with their bowlers keeping Melbourne Stars to the lowest score in finals history, but was it all over at the toss?
Rachael Haynes’ side obliterated their underdog tag, demolishing favourites the Melbourne Stars by seven wickets on Saturday night to win the WBBL sixth series.
Stars skipper Meg Lanning will rue her decision to bat first, after Thunder bowlers Sammy-Jo Johnson (2-11) and Shabnim Ismail (2-12) attacked early and limited the Stars to a measly 86 runs — the WBBL team’s second-lowest total in history and the lowest total in a WBBL final.
Thunder’s Heather Knight belted a six to win the final and had the 1633 spectators at North Sydney Oval on their feet.
It was a spectacular finish to what has been arguably the most challenging and exciting WBBL competition to date.
“What a performance by the bowlers today,” Knight said.
“We’ll take the credit as the batters to hit the winning runs, but they were the stars of the evening.
“It was amazing to be a part of.”
The word “underdog” got thrown around a lot, ahead of the big dance.
Some questioned whether Thunder’s young squad would rise to the occasion – especially against Lanning’s exceptional and in-form Stars.
How wrong they were.
Australian vice-captain Haynes – who is no underdog – and Thunder did exactly what they’ve been doing all season: they bowled their way to victory.
Bowlers Johnson and Ismail terrorised their opponents with swing and pace across the opening overs.
“Last night I was actually lying in bed, thinking, ‘how am I going to get Meg Lanning out?’ She was a very key wicket,” Ismail said later.
After a nervous Tammy Beaumont dropped Lanning on 0, Ismail seized control of the game early.
The South African international took the big wicket of Elyse Vilanni (1 from 11) in the third over, thanks to the reliable hands of Haynes.
Johnson then dismissed Mignon du Preez (4 from 11) with an LBW and Ismail took the other big wicket – Melbourne skipper Lanning (13 from 15).
The Stars were rattled – sitting on 22/3 in the seventh over – and wickets continued to roll.
Youngster Annabel Sutherland tried her best to salvage the innings, but leg-spinner Lauren Smith sent her for 20 runs.
Despite dropping six catches, Thunder limited the Stars to a below par 86-run total.
Rachel Trenaman (23 off 26) bashed five 4s before she was dismissed by Tess Flintoff. The youngster’s opening knock was short and sweet, but it set the tone for Thunder’s chase. Haynes and Knight had no problems finishing it off with the bat.
“She’s really level headed, gets her bowling changes really well, she’s got a lot of young players here, she keeps us nice and humble, not too up and down emotionally,” Beaumont said of Haynes’ leadership.
WBBL FINAL SCORE WRAP
SYDNEY THUNDER defeat Melbourne Stars by seven wickets
STARS: 9/86 (K Brunt 22*(27), A Sutherland 20 (20), S-J Johnson 2/11, S Ismail 2/12)
THUNDER: 3/87 (H Knight 26*(19), R Trenaman 23(26), R Haynes 21*(17))
Toss won by: Melbourne Stars
Batted first: Melbourne Stars
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
More Coverage
Life after Cummins: Dark horse enters race to captain Australia
While the choice of a new Test opener is the biggest current issue, another intriguing storyline has taken a twist: what if skipper Pat Cummins outlasts the contenders?
Schutt makes World Cup history as Australia destroys New Zealand
Australia continued their march towards a seventh Women’s T20 World Cup title with a crushing over New Zealand that saw star seamer Megan Schutt register staggering figures.