Melbourne Renegades 158 for 8 (Molineux 64) beat Adelaide Strikers 157 for 5 (McGrath 64*)
Sophie Molineux's blistering half-century and Nicole Faltum's cool head lifted the Melbourne Renegades to a thrilling two-wicket WBBL win over defending champions Adelaide Strikers.
Tahlia McGrath's unbeaten 64 guided the Strikers to 157 for 5 batting first in the second game of a double-header at Junction Oval on Sunday. And the reigning champions looked likely winners when they reduced the hosts to 29 for 3 at the end of the powerplay.
But Renegades captain Molineux launched a stunning response, blasting the equal third-fastest fifty in WBBL history from just 21 balls on her way to 64 off 32 deliveries. Molineux's entertaining knock included nine fours and three sixes before she was bowled by Jemma Barsby. It was the equal fourth-biggest individual innings by any batter so far this season, level with opposing skipper McGrath.
Molineux made excellent use of the power surge to change the momentum when she took 18 off Anesu Mushangwe followed by 13 off Megan Schutt. It was a new record for an individual innings at No. 7 and below in WBBL.
Darcie Brown hit back by removing Deandra Dottin's off stump. There was still work to do after Molineux fell and the contest went down to the wire, with Faltum hitting the winning runs off the final ball of the innings alongside Sarah Coyte.
Renegades have now levelled their season at 2-2, while Strikers are struggling at 1-3 in their bid for a hat-trick of titles.
Melbourne Stars 136 for 3 (Bhatia 57) beat Hobart Hurricanes 133 for 7 (Carey 44, Tryon 35) by seven wickets
A classy half-century from Indian opener Yastika Bhatia powered the Melbourne Stars to a comprehensive seven-wicket WBBL win over Hobart Hurricanes.
Nicola Carey and Chloe Tryon lifted Hurricanes to 133 for 7 batting first at Junction Oval on Sunday. But Stars were always on top in the run-chase, reaching their target comfortably with 13 balls to spare.
Bhatia top-scored with 57 from 46 balls, the left-handed wicketkeeper-batter striking seven fours and one six in a superb knock. Meg Lanning and captain Annabel Sutherland also played important roles with the bat.
"Meg really helped me when I was in the middle in the (power) surge," Bhatia told Fox Cricket. "She told me exactly what the bowlers were going to bowl, so it helped me out in the middle. Also, my family is here, so it's a special moment for me."
Heather Graham removed both Stars openers, and Carey claimed the key wicket of Lanning.
Marizanne Kapp and Kim Garth helped put the clamps on Hurricanes. Indian offspinner Deepti Sharma took 1 for 27 from four overs in her first Stars appearance.
