Melbourne Renegades 27 for 2 in 5.3 overs (Matthews 17*, Garth 2-2) were defeated by Melbourne Stars 118 (Sutherland 36, Harmanpreet 2-13, Wareham 2-18) by eight runs (DLS).
The Stars’ rain-affected derby victory at the MCG on Saturday night put an end to dull WBBL campaigns for both Melbourne teams.
Stars, who were the game’s hosts, took the lead thanks to a top score from Annabel Sutherland and Renegades’ run chase being disrupted by Kim Garth’s early wickets.
Within three overs, Garth had Renegades down to 12 for 2, and the majority of the 5933 spectators had fled for cover when the rain briefly forced the players off the field. Hayley Matthews (17 not out off 10 balls) made a heroic effort to move Renegades to the top of the DLS chart, but play was only resumed for nine more balls.
Rain eventually put an end to the contest, although Renegades’ 27 for 2 from 5.3 overs was still eight runs shy of a winning total.
As a result, the bottom two teams in the standings are Stars (six victories in 14 games) and Renegades (two wins in 14). The Stars’ fourth victory in their previous five games offered them a taste of what may have been if they had had a stronger start to the season.
After stand-in skipper Sutherland (36) guided Stars to a good total batting first, Garth, who returned figures of 2 for 2 in her two overs, removed Renegades openers Tammy Beaumont and Emma de Broughe within three balls in the third over of the game.
In her 36 off 28 balls, Sutherland hit six boundaries. She also put on a club record fourth-wicket stand of 45 with Tess Flintoff (22 off 23 balls).
Harmanpreet Kaur, who returned 2 for 13, caught both Sutherland and de Broughe out. The other primary wicket-takers were Matthews (2 for 20), Georgia Prestwidge (2 for 27), and Georgia Wareham (2 for 18).
After announcing her retirement prior to the match, cross-code athlete Jess Duffin’s professional career came to an unsatisfactory end due to the rain-affected game. Duffin did neither bat or bowl, although he claimed to have caught Alice Capsey off Georgia Prestwidge’s bowling for a second-ball duck.
Regular captain Meg Lanning missed the last three games of the season due to personal reasons, so the Stars were without her once more. Earlier this month, Lanning declared her retirement from international cricket, citing a lack of desire to compete at the highest level.
