Perth Scorchers beat Sydney Thunder by four wickets with nine balls to spare to stay unbeaten in WBBL 12, chasing 160 after Heather Knight’s 71 and a 128-run third-wicket stand with Anika Learoyd had carried the Thunder to 159 for 5.
Perth, Australia: The Scorchers kept their perfect record without Beth Mooney, who missed the game with quad tightness, and needed late nerve to do it. At 133 for 6 they still wanted 27 from 27 balls at the WACA Ground before Chloe Piparo and Chloe Ainsworth saw them home on 160 for 6 in 18.3 overs.
Knight and Learoyd build the platform
Sydney Thunder, batting first, finished on 159 for 5. Heather Knight made 71 off 46 balls and Anika Learoyd 53 off 44, and their third-wicket stand of 128 repaired an innings that had lost two early wickets. Phoebe Litchfield made 13 off 14 balls. Fatima Sana took 1 for 26, Chloe Ainsworth 1 for 22 and Alana King 1 for 30 for Perth.
A chase that threatened to stall
Sophie Devine gave the Scorchers a brisk start with 37 off 32 balls, and Katie Mack added 31 off 27. Mikayla Hinkley chipped in 24 off 16, and by the time Perth were 133 for 6 the equation had tightened to 27 off 27 balls. Piparo, unbeaten on 20 off 16, and Ainsworth, who struck 15 not out off eight balls, finished the job with nine balls in hand.
Table consequences
The win made it five from five for the Scorchers, who sit top of the table on 10 points. They had beaten the Thunder by 17 runs earlier this month in Sydney, in a match in which Mooney made an unbeaten 80. For the Thunder it was a third consecutive defeat after two opening wins; they have four points from five games. Perth face Adelaide Strikers on 14 November, and Sydney Thunder play Melbourne Stars on 16 November.
WBBL 12, 18th match, WACA Ground, Perth, 11 November
Sydney Thunder: 159 for 5 in 20 overs. Heather Knight 71 (46), Anika Learoyd 53 (44), Phoebe Litchfield 13 (14).
Perth Scorchers: 160 for 6 in 18.3 overs. Sophie Devine 37, Katie Mack 31, Mikayla Hinkley 24, Chloe Piparo 20*, Chloe Ainsworth 15*.
Result: Perth Scorchers won by four wickets with nine balls remaining.
