Stars shine bright at the MCG

The Melbourne Stars hosted cross town rival Melbourne Renegades at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the first time in a standalone WBBL match as part of the WBBL Stadium Series. 

The blockbuster Saturday night clash marked the return of women’s cricket to the MCG, with the RMIT Melbourne Derby Trophy up for grabs in the first game of women’s cricket played at the ground since the ICC World T20 Final in 2020. 
Skipper Annabel Sutherland won the bat-flip, choosing to bat first in the Stars’ first WBBL standalone derby at the MCG. 

Overseas pair Sophia Dunkley and Maia Bouchier continued their partnership at the top of the order, with Dunkley wasting no time as she stood and delivered back over the bowler’s head for back-to-back boundaries in the second over.

Skipper Annabel Sutherland and all-rounder Tess Flintoff consolidated through the middle overs to steady the ship, putting on a 45-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Sutherland (36 off 28) was the Stars’ top run scorer, before Flintoff (22) put one over the rope with a big six over the off side, and Nicole Faltum (20* not out) provided some important hitting at the back end to see the Stars to 118 after 20 overs.

Taking the new ball under the lights, quick Kim Garth conceded just a single run off the opening over, before claiming the Stars’ first two wickets in her next, producing figures of 2-2 from her pair of powerplay overs.

The Renegades were restricted to just 2/12 after four overs before rain halted play and the covers were called onto the ground. A revised target of 81 was set for the Renegades to chase down in 12 overs, with play recommencing shortly after. 
Sutherland threw the ball to spin duo Sophie Day and Sasha Moloney after the covers came off, though only a further nine balls were bowled before the umpires deemed play to be suspended, with the Renegades sitting at 2/27 after 5.3 overs. 

The rain affected contest saw the Stars claim an eight-run victory, sitting ahead on the DLS score of 35, and finished their WBBL|09 campaign with three straight wins. 

Left arm spinner Sophie Day finishes the Stars’ WBBL|09 campaign as the current BKT Golden Arm leader with 27 wickets, sitting just two wickets behind the record for the all-time most wickets in a single WBBL season, held by Sarah Aley who claimed 28 with the Sydney Sixers in WBBL|02. Day did create history over her own however, becoming the first player in WBBL history to take four four-wicket hauls in a single WBBL season. 

Stand in skipper Annabel Sutherland finishes WBBL|09 as the Stars’ back-to-back leading run scorer with 288 runs this season, while currently sitting in second place in the BKT Golden Arm leader tally with 23 wickets.

The Stars have now concluded their WBBL|09 campaign, finishing with six wins and eight losses.