WBBL | Wareham heroics for second game running takes Renegades top with win over Thunder

Today at 12:44 PM

Sydney Thunder's disappointing start to the latest Women's Big Bash League continued at the Junction Oval on Tuesday with a defeat to reigning champions Melbourne Renegades. The Thunder were restricted to a subpar 148/7 before Georgia Wareham's half-century helped finish off the chase in 18.1 overs.

Georgia Wareham once again stole the show at the Junction Oval on Tuesday by leading Melbourne Renegades to a comfortable win over Sydney Thunder

With rain on the horizon, Melbourne Renegades' stand-in skipper Georgia Wareham won the toss on Tuesday and opted to bowl first. Her new ball bowlers Milly Illingworth and Charis Bekker got off to a brilliant start, containing the powerplay score to 22/0 despite the former being struck for two fours by Tahlia Wilson in the fourth over. Her opening partner Georgia Voll looked completely out of sorts at the other end, having to wait as long as the seventh over to register her first boundary of the innings. Even though the Aussie managed to triply the tally over the next two overs, it was not enough to seize momentum as Tess Flintoff struck to remove Wilson for a run-a-ball 30. Voll departed the next over for 26, as the Thunder were left reeling at 67/2 at the halfway stage. Phoebe Litchfield tried to wrest together some tempo with a couple of boundaries but succumbed not long after to counterpart Wareham, while Chamari Athapaththu had her stumps broken by Alice Capsey for a four-ball duck as they slid to 81/4 with seven overs to go. Fortunately for the visitors they had the immensely experienced Heather Knight on their side, the former English skipper counterattacking by taking Deandra Dottin for back-to-back fours as she built a 39-run stand with Anika Learoyd. Just as the Thunder were preparing for a final flourish, Wareham removed Knight for 30 off 20 before Laura Harris struck two fours in her four-ball stay to leave the time 129/6 after 18. Learoyd struck two fours and a maximum thereafter to push the score up to 148/7 but it still felt substantially subpar given the surface.

In response, Renegades' English import Davina Perrin got her WBBL career rolling by smashing all-timer Shabnim Ismail for three fours in the first five balls of the innings. However, the Proteas had the final laugh by dispatching her on the final delivery of her opening effort, and her team truly gained ascendancy when Voll scalped last game's chasemaster Courtney Webb to have the hosts at 23/2 at the end of the powerplay. The spread of field only brought further setback as Athapatthu pinned Naomi Stalenberg LBW first ball, thus bringing together the immensely experienced pair of Alice Capsey and Georgia Wareham at the crease. The former was more than happy to take charge as she retained most of the strike and dealt a big blow alongside three fours, contributing 25 runs in their stand of 34 before falling victim to Voll for 30(27) in the ninth over. The required run rate thus ticked past eight but Wareham quickly countered with three boundaries off young leggie Hasrat Gill, only for Athapaththu to give away just two runs in the ensuing over and scalp Dottin in the process. With 76 required off 54, Nicola Faltum had no time to waste and she showed she understood the appointment with two boundaries in the 12th over. Wareham supplemented her efforts by taking Athapaththu for 16 on the back of a four and maximum, drastically bringing the equation down to 43 off 36. Three boundaries for the duo over the next two overs left the Thunder down and out, before a 13-run Ismail over practically sealed proceedings as Wareham brought up a 29-ball 50. Even though the captain fell with just four runs required as Thunder ended the 72-run stand off just 40 deliveries, Faltum ensured there were no further hiccups and nailed the final coffin with a four to end unbeaten on 37 off 26.

Wareham Magic

Georgia Wareham is at it again!

Chamari Athapaththu misses her length, and the stand-in skipper makes her pay.
— Weber Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL)

Young Star

Laura Harris went with the reverse, but 18-year-old Milly Illingworth had the last laugh!
— Weber Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL)

Big Bidder

Wareham will break the bank at the auction for sure. Will be a costly RTM
— 🥷🏻 (@filter__coffee)

Half Century!

50 up 🐺

How well is Georgia Wareham seeing them!
— Weber Women's Big Bash League (@WBBL)

Captain’s Touch

Georgia wareham yet again contributing for her team but this time with bat!! Captaincy making her more responsible!!
— kartik_trav62 (@headyy62)

Skipper’s Show

Top innings that from Wareham . Proper captain’s knock
— Cricket Tamizhan (@CricketTamizhan)

Crucial Stand

Thought the chase was almost over after Dottin got out, excellent 50+ runs partnership from Wareham and Faltum...

Have noticed one thing, whenever Litchfield fails to score runs, her team always loses or scores a below par total...
— Apu (@apu_ACM)

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