Weltnachrichten – AU – Rare lanning mistake when stars performed the reality check

While the Melbourne Stars are guaranteed to land on the ladder of the Women’s Big Bash League, they were given a reality check from Brisbane on Saturday’s Heat.

The Stars only suffered their second loss of the tournament when they were beaten by three wickets at Drummoyne Oval in Sydney, although the result was irrelevant in terms of positioning in the final as they already secured a place in a semifinal had secured the North Sydney Oval on Wednesday night.

The runner-up Heat, who chased 152 to victory, has now won six games in a row since they were beaten by the Stars and poses a formidable threat if the two teams meet again.

The stars who tinkered with the line-up will end the regular season against the Sydney Sixers on Sunday and will try to regain the momentum they enjoyed last week with wins against the Perth Scorchers when time was up second place and the Hobart Hurricanes.

The defeat came on a day when Stars skipper Meg Lanning made a rare mistake. The superstar batsman, who had been the competition’s second top scorer, was hit outside the first stump by pacer Delissa Kimmince and then fell onto the second as she was plagued by the extra bounce and cut right into the deep groove. It was her first duck in the series.

Heat counterpart Jess Jonassen (35 of 19) set the tone in response and hit seven lines before she got the first shipment from spinner Alana King to the point.

Georgia Redmayne (37 of 32) kept the momentum before Katherine Brunt produced one of the season’s best fielding pieces and came from her own bowling. Left-handed Redmayne had thrown the ball on the side of his leg and after a moment of hesitation had gone off to a single. This was the break Brunt needed. After chasing the ball and turning on her knees, she threw down the stumps at the end of the non-striker.

The stars did well, making the competition to the finals and getting out of the heat with eight runs to win. The win, however, came within two deliveries for power hitter Laura Kimmince (19 of five) who went to fast-paced bowler Annabel Sutherland, including a reverse sweep for four.

Lanning’s surprise snap gave former skipper Elyse Villani (24 of 27) and South African Mignon du Preez (51 of 38), who was already among the top five goalscorers this season, the chance to dominate. They put on 53 in time before Villani faced Leggie Amelia Kerr one too often and was at a loss.

The stars had clearly made the decision to attack Jonassen’s spin ahead of the game – and that is exactly what they did. The frontline Australian weirdo had 13 from her first over – including a straight six from du Preez – and 11 from her second, including consecutive limits from du Preez.

Du Preez’s fourth half century of the campaign made 36 deliveries, and it was no surprise that this was confirmed by a loft ride from spinner Charli Knott. But just as a large score was emerging, she fell into the same situation as when she was caught just inside the long line.

Tough all-rounder Nat Sciver (33 of 28) brought in her power play, but the stars were stopped when she and Sutherland (three of six) dropped out after a performance by the player on 17. past.

Jon Pierik is a cricket writer for The Age. He also reports on AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.

Women’s Big Bash League, Cricket, Dream11, Melbourne Stars (WBBL), Brisbane Heat (WBBL), Adelaide Strikers (WBBL), Sydney Thunder (WBBL), Sydney Sixers (WBBL), Melbourne Renegades (WBBL)