Scorchers to face Sixers with 28-run finals victory over the Stars

A record opening partnership between Katie Mack and Beth Mooney has led the Perth Scorchers WBBL side to a comfortable victory over the Melbourne Stars in the league’s first final at the WACA on Tuesday night.

Katie Mack and Beth Mooney celebrate a 100-run opening partnership for the Perth Scorchers.Credit: Getty Images

The WA team will now face the Sydney Sixers at North Sydney Oval on Thursday night for a chance to take on the Hobart Hurricanes in the final match of the season.

After winning the toss the home side decided to bat first, with openers Katie Mack and Beth Mooney making a steady start at just over a run per ball.

Although Mooney, the league’s third-highest run scorer prior to this match, faced a nervous wait after Sasha Mooney appealed for leg before wicket. While the umpire signalled not out, the Stars chose to review the decision only for the ball-tracker replay to show the delivery bouncing too high to hit the stumps.

The Scorchers made the most of the first 10 overs of the match, posting a solid score of 0-79 before the drinks break.

The WA duo posted their highest opening partnership of the tournament before the 11th over with 90 runs.

Mack reached her half-century during the next over from just 37 balls, including five boundaries, before lobbing an easy catch to Danielle Gibson off the bowling of Rhys McKenna to depart for 52. The opening pair set a league record for the biggest opening partnership in a final with 107 including extras.

Mooney was out just six balls later for 45 after sending a shot skyward from the bowling of Kim Garth into the waiting hands of Maisy Gibson.

The two quick wickets brought Sophie Devine and Freya Kemp to the crease, with the latter hitting three quick boundaries in the space of five deliveries during the power surge, including a big six off the bowling of Garth.

The English allrounder was then given an early life after being dropped by Georgia Prestwidge.

Devine was not so lucky and was caught the very next over by Meg Lanning from the bowling of McKenna to only add a single run to the score.

Paige Scholfield was the next player out, bowled by Maisy Gibson for just one run, bringing Alana King to the crease.

Kemp continued to keep the run-rate ticking over with a quickfire 35 runs from just 19 deliveries, hitting five boundaries including two sixes. However, Annabel Sutherland struck in the 17th over to take her 100th WBBL wicket, removing the dangerous allrounder after a good catch from Maisy Gibson.

Maddy Darke added 16 from just five deliveries with King contributing 10 runs to leave the Stars chasing a record 174 for victory.

McKenna was the first wicket to fall for the Stars after a mix-up with fellow-opener Lanning led to an easy run out after some good fielding from Mack allowed bowler Chloe Ainsworth to knock off the bails.

After a slow start, Lanning and Amy Jones settled into a solid partnership to take the Melbourne side to 1-86 at the drinks break.

The pair cruised past the 100-run mark before King struck for the Scorchers, beating Jones and giving Mooney the quick stumping opportunity.

Lilly Mills then took two quick wickets with Sutherland caught by Kemp for five runs before dismissing Maia Bouchier for two.

Some good fielding led to Mooney running out Danielle Gibson, leaving the Stars at 5-126 after 15 overs..

Ainsworth then claimed the dangerous wicket of Lanning thanks to a great catch by Mooney, leaving the league’s leading run scorer one-run shy of her half-century.

Kemp then caught Prestwidge from the bowling of Devine and the Stars had lost five wickets in five overs, needing 39 runs from 14 deliveries.

Garth was the next to fall when King took her second thanks to a catch from Mills and the Stars needed 33 runs from the final over.

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