Annabel Sutherland and Meg Lanning both scored half-centuries before the Strikers’ batting innings was cut short by rain
A vexing downpour has rained on the Melbourne Stars’ parade in their opening match of the Weber WBBL|11 season, with their Junction Oval fixture against Adelaide Strikers abandoned after a promising first innings.
After losing two wickets at the hands of Amanda-Jade Wellington (2-20) within the space of 19 balls, Meg Lanning and skipper Annabel Sutherland — playing her 100th WBBL match — each notched half-centuries to guide their side to 5-184 from their 20 overs.
Lanning’s superb knock (60 off 41 balls), which included 10 boundaries, was brought undone in the unluckiest of circumstances, with a Sutherland strike ricocheting off bowler Sophie Ecclestone’s fingers and onto the stumps to force a run out at the non-striker’s end.
Ecclestone almost dismissed her Aussie rival with her first ball in Strikers colours and finished her afternoon with figures of 1-35 (4) after topping Danielle Gibson for 31 (15) with the final ball of the innings.
Meanwhile, Sutherland was in supreme touch in her milestone outing with an unbeaten 54 from 39 deliveries, bringing up her half-century in style by clearing the rope.
Only four more balls were required to be bowled to achieve a result under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method when the heavens opened in the fifth over of the Strikers’ chase and forced the players from the field.
And the rain didn’t relent, with both sides sharing the spoils one point apiece, a chance missed for Adelaide who needed just three runs if those four balls had of been bowled to clinch maximum points.
Weber WBBL|11 Standings
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Total points
PTS
1
SIX
1
1
0
0
0
3.277
0
2
2
REN
1
1
0
0
0
0.675
0
2
3
HUR
1
1
0
0
0
0.283
0
2
4
STR
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
5
STA
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
6
THU
1
0
1
0
0
-0.283
0
0
7
HEA
1
0
1
0
0
-0.675
0
0
8
SCO
1
0
1
0
0
-3.277
0
0
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points
