That's all from this contest, folks! The Hobart Hurricanes Women held their nerves to secure a crucial win, moving up to fourth place on the points table. On the other hand, the Perth Scorchers finish with 9 points and bow out of the competition. For now, this is Deepak Prakash signing off on behalf of co-commentator Anirudh Modi and scorer/analyst Paras Yadav. CHEERS!
Kathryn Bryce (Player of the Match):"I knew I had to build a partnership after such a great start, the run-rate was not an issue and I just needed to stay there until the end to give us a chance. We spoke during drinks about taking surge as deep as possible, when we are 20 runs away. I was batting over a run-a-ball and we thought we could keep going that way and take it as deep as possible.
When you are out in the middle, it is always about trying to find that zone. It was about building that partnership with Lauren and the fact that she could go too if they brought the field up. It's always about moving forward and all you can do is focus on the next ball.
[Message to Sarah] Just go out and play your game, hopefully she does well but not too well, haha."
Player of the Match: Kathryn Bryce
6:26 PM IST, 8:56 PM Local Time: A crucial partnership between Kathryn Bryce and Lauren Smith rescued the Hurricanes from a precarious position, guiding them to a three-wicket victory and keeping their tournament hopes alive. On the other hand, the Perth Scorchers Women bowlers failed to continue their momentum, and with this loss, they are out of the ongoing WBBL event.
Earlier, after opting to bat first, Perth Scorchers Women were bundled out for 138 runs in exactly 20 overs. They were heading towards a competitive total at one stage, with Beth Mooney (50) and Sophie Devine (28) in good touch. However, both batters failed to capitalize on their starts. Devine fell to Nicola Carey in the 14th over, while Mooney departed immediately after reaching her fifty. Following their dismissals, the Scorchers collapsed in the latter half of the innings, eventually being skittled for 138. The middle and lower-order batters faltered miserably as they failed to reach the double-digits. Amy Smith starred with the ball for the Hobart Hurricanes Women, grabbing three wickets. Lauren Smith chipped in with a couple of wickets, while Nicola Carey contributed one wicket to Scorchers’ downfall.
Chasing 139, Lizelle Lee went all guns blazing from the outset, providing the Hurricanes with a solid start. She added 51 runs for the opening wicket, with Elyse Villani contributing just 11 runs in the partnership. Lee, the wicketkeeper-batter, looked in sublime touch once again but fell just six runs short of her fifty, failing to convert her start into a big score.
Following Lee's dismissal, the Hurricanes suffered a dramatic collapse, slumping to 95/7 by the 13th over. However, Kathryn Bryce (34*) and Lauren Smith (16*) stepped up under immense pressure, displaying remarkable composure. The duo added an unbeaten 43-run partnership, kept the scoreboard ticking at a steady pace, and guided their team to victory with 14 balls to spare.
Scorchers failed to put pressure at the tail end of the match with the ball and failed to defend 138 runs. Sophie Devine (4/26) starred with the ball for Women in Orange, grabbing 4 crucial wickets, while Chloe Ainsworth and Amy Louise Edgar celebrated a solitary wicket.
OVER 18
Hobart Hurricanes Women
139/7
Kathryn Bryce
34(24)
Lauren Smith
16(18)
Alana King
0-33(3.4)
17.4 A King to K Bryce
1 Hobart secure the 4th spot and qualify for the knockouts! Bryce ensures her team gets over the line! That is the end of the season for Perth Scorchers! Good length delivery, on the stumps, paddle scoops it through fine leg to hit the winning runs!
17.3 A King to K Bryce
4 FOUR! SCORES ARE LEVEL! Another boundary and Hobart are moments away from victory! Good length delivery, on the off stump, lifts it over mid-off to send it crashing into the ropes!