Scorchers pull off unlikely win at the WACA

A stirring performance with the ball has seen the Perth Scorchers defend 116 against the Sydney Thunder in a low-scoring affair at the WACA Ground.

The Scorchers were well held in an innings that saw just seven fours and a solitary six scored, but their bowling attack – led by Irish quick Kim Garth’s three wickets – produced the goods to seal an 11-run win.

English international Natalie Sciver struck a telling blow with the fourth ball of the Thunder chase, removing opener Rachel Priest without scoring, before Taneale Peschel struck first ball to have Thunder captain Rachael Haynes out for a golden duck.

From 2-0, the situation become more dire when the experienced Alex Blackwell (6) was trapped lbw by Garth, who soon picked up a second to dismiss Tahlia Wilson (0).

As the wickets continued to tumble, Nida Dar (43 off 39) played a lone hand but it was not enough, with the Pakistan allrounder the final wicket to fall in the final over.

Garth led the wicket taking with 3-21 from her four overs, and was well supported by a miserly Scorchers attack, including Heather Graham (2-16) and Sciver (2-18).

Sent in to bat, the Scorchers elevated Georgia Redmayne (0) to the top of the order alongside Amy Jones, but the move didn’t pay off when she was caught behind off the bowling of Ismail from the second ball of the match.

It was tough going for Jones and captain Meg Lanning as they scrapped their way to 0-34 at the end of the power play, but Jones’ graft came to little when she was trapped lbw by Rene Farrell from the first ball of the seventh over.

Lanning began to produce the sorts of shots she is famous for, finding the boundary twice and clearing it with a superb lofted drive, but was dismissed for 25 in unlucky circumstances when the ball bounced back onto her stumps.

For eight overs not a single boundary was scored with Sciver and Graham forced to work hard for their runs.

Work hard they did, pushing the twos to keep the scoreboard ticking over, while several stunning saves from Ismail on the rope cut off the few shots that looked as though they may breach the boundary.

Graham (27) finally broke through with a four in the 19th over; her 43-run stand with Sciver (27) crucial in pushing the Scorchers to 6-116.

The Thunder now return home to host a WBBL Festival Weekend at Drummoyne Oval, starting with a blockbuster Friday night clash against the Sixers.

The Scorchers, who have now won three on the trot, also head to Sydney, where they will play the Brisbane Heat at Drummoyne Oval on Sunday at 10am.