Wolvaardt, bowlers pick up first win for Strikers

The Adelaide Strikers got their WBBL campaign off the ground with a seven-wicket win over the Melbourne Renegades at the Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide.

Asked to bat first, the Renegades got off to a modest start and lost Davina Perrin early. Courtney Webb, who appeared to be in good touch, salvaged the PowerPlay by hitting Megan Schutt for nine runs in the fourth over. Alice Capsey, who had gotten off to a decent start having struck three boundaries, fell to Tahlia McGrath in the sixth over and she was followed by Deandra Dottin who was run-out a couple of overs later.

Georgia Wareham joined Webb at the crease and the duo managed to stitch a crucial 47-run stand before the latter was dismissed four runs short of her fifty in the 13th over. The Renegades' innings failed to gather momentum as they continued to lose regular wickets. Wareham's dismissal at the end of the 16th over left them on 113/6 before they tottered along to 141/9 in 20 overs.

In reply, the Strikers' openers started off positively and put on a 63-run partnership. Smart rotation of strike and timely boundaries meant that the Strikers always remained ahead of the contest. Wareham managed to dismiss Tammy Beaumont in the eighth over after being struck for two boundaries but the Renegades struggled to contain Laura Wolvaardt who continued to cruise along. The South African batted along unfazed even as she lost two more partners and brought up her fifty in the 14th over. She remained unbeaten on 71 as Bridget Patterson struck a boundary to seal victory for the Strikers in the 18th over.

Brief scores: Melbourne Renegades 141/9 in 20 overs (Courtney Webb 46, Georgia Wareham 30; Sophie Ecclestone 2-24, Darcie Brown 2-24) lost to Adelaide Strikers 143/3 in 17.4 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 71*, Tammy Beaumont 34; Tess Flintoff 2-27) by 7 wickets