Melbourne Renegades 4 for 58 (Kershaw 34*, Mills 3-9) beat Perth Scorchers 2 for 46 (Devine 24*, Ismail 1-12) by 6 wickets (DLS method)
A stunning cameo from Melbourne Renegades left-hander Erica Kershaw has ended Perth Scorchers hopes of back-to-back WBBL titles in an eight-over-a-side rain-affected clash in Moe.
Kershaw smacked 34 not out off just 18 balls to help Renegades chase down a Duckworth-Lewis-Stern adjusted target of 57 with six wickets in hand and three balls to spare after they had slumped to 4 for 15 in the fourth over. The loss means Scorchers will finish 5th on the table and miss the finals just a year after claiming the title with a very similar squad.
Scorchers could have stayed alive if they had won but did need other results to go their way with all eight teams playing their final qualifying game of the season. Scorchers in control of the game after Lilly Mills claimed 3 for 9, including two in the first over of the chase. Chamari Athapaththu and Hayley Matthews both holed out trying to attack the offspinner. She also claimed Courtney Webb just four balls after Josephine Dooley fell to Alana King in the third over to leave Renegades in deep trouble.
But Kershaw played a fearless knock pounding five fours and two sixes. She relentlessly attacked the spinners over midwicket and carved the seamers' square through the off side to muscle her way to the target. Carly Leeson provided steady support at the other end in a 44-run unbeaten stand.
Earlier, Scorchers' innings was cut short by rain after the match had initially been reduced to a 16-over-a-side game due to a wet outfield. Scorchers were cruising at 2 for 46 with Sophie Devine and Marizanne Kapp just starting to roll following the early losses of Beth Mooney and Maddy Green. Mooney had fallen for a first-ball duck to Ella Hayward while Shabnim Ismail castled Green in the fourth over. But rain intervened before Scorchers had a chance to accelerate and ended the innings leaving them to defend an adjusted target of 57. Scorchers finish the season in 5th spot while Renegades finished 7th, with four wins from 14 games.
