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The first day of the Women’s Big Bash League saw three riveting games, all of which provided us with spectacular entertainment.
Two games were broadcast live on free-to-air television, including the Stars vs Thunder match as the first women’s sport event on prime-time television, setting the benchmark magnificently.
» WBBL live stream: how to watch every game of WBBL|02
» 2016-17 WBBL Fixtures: The complete schedule for this season
» The Roar’s Women’s Big Bash League coverage
All games were played at the serene North Sydney Oval, with the Hurricanes and Scorchers kicking off the eventful day. The Scorchers were sent into bat after Nicole Bolton called wrongly.
The Hurricanes innings started slowly and the Scorchers continued to build their dominance, taking wickets at regular intervals and restricting Perth to 3/44 off the first 11 overs. Runs were scarce, but their quick running kept the scoreboard ticking.
In the last half of the innings, as should be expected, runs started flowing, and the Scorchers racked up 75 runs in the last ten overs. Katherine Brunt scored an exciting 41 off 24, including all but two of her team’s boundaries. The team in orange ended with 119.
The Hurricanes batted with elegance, and none more so than opening pair Hayley Matthews and Georgia Redmayne, whose ten-over, 71-run partnership gave Hobart the upper hand early.
The Scorchers bowlers, led by Suzie Bates, pulled it back nicely to give the Perth a chance in the last six – but ultimately the Hurricanes sneaked home, largely due to the opening Matthews-Redmayne partnership.
Best run-scorers
Hayley Matthews, Hobart Hurricanes: 48 (38)
Katherine Brunt, Perth Scorchers: 41 (24)
Lauren Ebsary, Perth Scorchers: 26 (24)
Best bowlers
Suzie Bates, Perth Scorchers: 3 overs, 0 maidens, 14 runs, 2 wickets (economy rate: 4.67)
Heather Knight, Hobart Hurricanes: 4-0-31-2 (economy rate: 7.75)
Hayley Matthews, Hobart Hurricanes: 4-0-21-1 (economy rate: 5.25)
Immediately following the Hurricanes and Scorchers came the first televised WBBL game of the season: the Adelaide Strikers, batting first, and the Melbourne Renegades, which was not dissimilar to the preceding match.
Bridget Patterson started well and led the Strikers to 13 off the first two overs, but a mini-capitulation had Adelaide sump to 4/8, with Molly Strano involved in three of the wickets.
Sophie Devine played a lone hand through much of the Strikers’ innings, with a cameo from Tegan McPharlin consolidating the Strikers to 116. Nicole Goodwin backed up Molly Strano, and both bowlers accumulated three wickets with great accuracy.
Megan Schutt opened the bowling fiercely for the Strikers, delivering two early wickets to put the Renegades onto the back foot.
Kris Britt got a start but was quickly undone by leg-spinner Amanda Wellington. Sophie Molineaux made batting look easy, but she ran out of partners to bat with, and in the end the Strikers were bowled out with three balls remaining and 14 runs short.
Best run-scorers
Sophie Devine, Adelaide Strikers: 43 (38)
Sophie Molineax, Melbourne Renegades: 37 (30)
Kris Britt, Melbourne Renegades: 21 (26)
Best bowlers
Molly Strano, Melbourne Renegades: 3.3 overs, 1 maiden, 16 runs, 3 wickets (economy rate: 4.57)
Megan Schutt, Adelaide Strikers: 4-0-16-2 (economy rate: 4)
Lea Tahuhu, Melbourne Renegades: 4-0-25-2 (economy rate: 6.25)
The day ended with a riveting clash between hosts Sydney Thunder and the Melbourne Stars, which went in to bat first.
After an explosive start that included three massive sixes courtesy of Emma Inglis and Meg Lanning the Stars found themselves at 0/79 after nearly nine overs.
The wickets started to tumble, but Katie Mack, demoted to third drop, showed resistance to make 30 and keep the innings going, with players coming in to bat around her. The Stars finished with 147.
The Thunder also started solidly with a 50-run opening partnership before the openers and skipper Alex Blackwell were all undone by good deliveries.
The Thunder appeared to be down and out, needing 45 off three overs, but Indian import Harmanpreet Kaur exploded to give the Thunder just nine to win off two balls. Unfortunately the effort was too little, too late for the Thunder, who lost by a narrow six runs.
Best run-scorers
Emma Inglis, Melbourne Stars: 46 (28)
Meg Lanning, Melbourne Stars: 33 (28)
Stafani Taylor, Sydney Thunder: 32 (35)
Best bowlers
Erin Osborne, Sydney Thunder: 4 overs, 0 maidens, 27 runs, 3 wickets (economy rate: 6.75)
Nicola Carey, Sydney Thunder: 4-0-37-3 (economy rate: 9.25)
Alana King, Melbourne Stars: 4-0-21-2 (economy rate: 5.25)
Observations
Throughout the three matches the ground fielding was excellent, with many dives to save boundaries as well as lots of run-outs. However, the catching was poor, particularly in the last two games, when at least four straightforward catches were dropped in each.
A trend amongst those players who dropped catches – and even some of those who made them – were that they were caught in ‘crocodile’ fashion, putting them at higher risk of dropping the ball.
Though Meg Lanning will undoubtedly be personally disappointed to have not gone on after a well-compiled 33, it was a great sign for the Stars to see the rest of the team step up. Last year the Melbourne Stars lacked depth behind Lanning, who was player of the match in almost all of the team’s wins. That she demonstrated an ability to play second fiddle to Emma Inglis was also a good sign.
For the first time in sport history a women’s match has been broadcast on free-to-air television in prime time. It certainly didn’t disappoint, with the game going down to the wire. Attendance was great, and if that is a taste of what is to come this season, we are in for a cracking summer.
All throughout Channel Ten’s coverage there were interviews with big names.
Adam Gilchrist’s commentary led the act, and Brisbane Heat superstar Chris Lynn, Hurricanes skipper Tim Paine, Strikers coach Jason Gillespie, Stars foundation player Luke Wright and Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland were just a few big names to give insightful views about the game.
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