The Women’s Big Bash got underway over the weekend around Australia, with six New Zealanders appearing in the opening games of the competition where all matches were double headers.
The first match of the tournament pitted the Sydney Thunder against Morna Nielsen’s Melbourne Stars. Nielsen was crucial during her sides win over the Thunder. Defending 147, Nielson was brought onto bowl in a vital part of the game. Off her four overs she picked up one wicket, but more importantly conceded just 22 runs.
The return fixture of the match was a different story for the Stars. They struggled to set a big total, Morna Nielsen only came to the crease in the last over but still managed five runs off three balls. She only got two overs with the ball due to the Thunder cruising to victory with eight wickets remaining.
Sara McGlashan’s Sydney Sixers set the Brisbane Heat 138/6. McGlashan hit 27 off 16 balls, quickening the run rate with her three fours and a six. However, a brilliant performance from West Indian Deandra Dottin meant the Heat got over the line.
It was a different story in game two the Sixers and the Heat. Brisbane only managed 83 from their twenty overs, which the Sixers made easy work of in reply. Sara McGlashan finished the game off with 13 from 15, including hitting the winning runs off the sixteenth over.
WHITE FERNS captain Suzie Bates hit a run a ball 48 for the Perth Scorchers. She combined with her opening partner for a 92-run opening stand, before Amy Satterthwaite picked up Hobart’s first wicket. Bates opened the bowling, picking up one wicket during her three overs, while Satterthwaite contributed 18 with the bat. Bates’ Scorchers taking the win by 17 runs.
Suzie Bates didn’t manage the same heroics as the Scorchers went down to the Hurricanes. Bates hit 14 before being caught and bowled. Amy Satterthwaite was arguably the pick of the bowlers with 1-19 off her four overs. It was the same story for the Kiwi internationals in the second innings, with the bowling impressing while the batting struggled. Satterthwaite managed 7 with the bat before being bowled, while Bates picked up 2-14 off her three overs.
Meanwhile in Melbourne, Sophie Devine’s Adelaide Strikers went down to Rachel Priest and Lea Tahuhu’s Melbourne Renegades. Batting at number six, Devine hit an innings high 41 off just 27 balls. Tahuhu bowled well during her four overs, going for just 22 runs. In reply, Priest put her team in the perfect position with a 44 before getting caught by WHITE FERNS teammate Devine.
Again, it was a different result in game two, with Sophie Divine playing a match winning innings for the Strikers. Devine came to the crease with her side stuttering at 4-21. She played a quick paced innings, hitting 43 from 38 balls meaning that the Strikers had a total they could defend. With the new ball Lea Tahuhu was excellent, grabbing two wickets for 25. Rachel Priest couldn’t match her heroics in game one, falling for a duck, with the Renegades never recovering from the early loss of Priest.
