WBBL|06 Semi-final 1: Melbourne Stars vs Perth Scorchers - Wednesday, 25 November 2020 (7.10pm AEDT)

[Teen Wolf]

The green scum in their maiden finals appearance take on the cheque book mavericks from out west for a spot in Saturday night's ultimate decider.

Date: Wednesday, 25 November 2020
Time: 7.10pm AEDT, 4.10pm AWST
Venue: North Sydney Oval, NSW - Tickets
Broadcast: Live on 7Mate, Fox Cricket and Kayo (check local guides).

Melbourne Stars (1st, 8-3-3)

Possible XI
Meg Lanning*
Elyse Villani
Mignon du Preez
Nat Sciver
Annabel Sutherland
Katherine Brunt
Tess Flintoff
Alana King
Nicole Faltum+
Sophie Day
Holly Ferling

Injury concerns

• Ordinarily a certain starter, Erin Osborne (hamstring) has missed a few in a row, no idea what the update is on this. Anna Lanning replaced her last match but Ferling coming in makes more sense to me.
• Villani (hamstring) and Sutherland (hand?) had issues on Sunday but continued to play through.

On song
Just about everybody has done the job expected of them, if not more.

Off the boil
Only by virtue of being a nationally contracted player (the premature awarding of which I'm sure was to dissuade her from playing footy) has Sutherland under-performed. Going fine for a player her age.

Last 5 matches (most recent first)
Loss v Sixers by 5 wickets (2 balls rem.)
Loss v Heat by 3 wickets (4 balls rem.)
Win v Canes by 39 runs
Win v Scorchers by 6 runs
Loss v Gades in super over

Perth Scorchers (4th, 6-6-2)

Possible XI
Sophie Devine*
Beth Mooney+
Amy Jones
Chloe Piparo
Nicole Bolton
Heather Graham
Mathilda Carmichael
Sarah Glenn
Taneale Peschel
Piepa Cleary
Samantha Betts

Injury concerns

• Devine (back) didn't bowl on the weekend and there doesn't seem much point in her rushing to do so since the inclusion of Betts has been working pretty well for them.
• Graham (knee) missed Sunday, if she can't get up for Wednesday then Jemma Barsby will probably take her place again.
• Jones (quad) is only a few games back after several weeks out, and unsurprisingly has looked rusty upon return.

On song
Aside from the dream duo settling into a groove together at the top of the order, Glenn's leggies have been on the money and Peschel has added consistency to some long-suspected potential with the new ball.

Off the boil
Piparo and Bolton have had plenty of opportunities to find form with the bat throughout the season, but they've been getting out in some particularly poor ways for senior players.

Last 5 matches (most recent first)
Loss v Strikers by 3 runs
Win v Canes by 10 wickets (32 balls rem.)
Loss v Heat by 4 wickets (4 balls rem.)
Loss v Stars by 6 runs
Win v Thunder by 34 runs

Words of wisdom
The Stars have been a well-drilled unit all tournament, and they still put up a good fight in the three games they lost. The Scorchers looked to have completely turned their form around deep into Sunday's match before suffering an almighty collapse of 7/38 against the Strikers. Biggest difference in the two teams is Melbourne has the experienced bowlers with strong track records of pulling big games back from the brink.

 

[The Victorian]

I really hope these girls in green get the win tomorrow night! I’d love nothing more than seeing them in the Grand Final!!!

I’m calling it-if we get one of the openers out early, we win!

I feel as if we have more depth in our batting. If Lanning and Villani BOTH don’t fire, we’ve got Du Perez, Sciver, Sutherland who can get a roll on. Even Alana King has shown what she is capable of and Erin Osborne if she plays too can bat.

bowling I’ve been extremely impressed by the form of our young guns in Tess Flintoff and Sophie Day. This experience they are getting is so invaluable and if you add the likes of Brunt, Sciver and King then I reckon we’ve got excellent bowlers.

I must add though, I have been slightly disappointed in Sutherlands bowling but understand that she is still young!

I am a bit worried with skips recent form with the bat (flip)... we have lost the last five flips.

also, if we are chasing we win easy. We haven’t lost a game chasing all season.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I really hope these girls in green get the win tomorrow night! I’d love nothing more than seeing them in the Grand Final!!!

I’m calling it-if we get one of the openers out early, we win!

I feel as if we have more depth in our batting. If Lanning and Villani BOTH don’t fire, we’ve got Du Perez, Sciver, Sutherland who can get a roll on. Even Alana King has shown what she is capable of and Erin Osborne if she plays too can bat.

bowling I’ve been extremely impressed by the form of our young guns in Tess Flintoff and Sophie Day. This experience they are getting is so invaluable and if you add the likes of Brunt, Sciver and King then I reckon we’ve got excellent bowlers.

I must add though, I have been slightly disappointed in Sutherlands bowling but understand that she is still young!

I am a bit worried with skips recent form with the bat (flip)... we have lost the last five flips.

also, if we are chasing we win easy. We haven’t lost a game chasing all season.

Actually expect this one to be the easier semi to pick, and the Stars have a lot more quality. That said you'll want to chase just so that Mooney and Devine can't chase something silly.

As for Sutherland I've always rated her batting more, eventually she'll be a batsman who bowls rather than the other way around. Stars don't really need her bowling anyway with Schiver in the team. She's there to basically cover the young girls like Flintoff in case they have an off day.

 

[The Victorian]

Actually expect this one to be the easier semi to pick, and the Stars have a lot more quality. That said you'll want to chase just so that Mooney and Devine can't chase something silly.

As for Sutherland I've always rated her batting more, eventually she'll be a batsman who bowls rather than the other way around. Stars don't really need her bowling anyway with Schiver in the team. She's there to basically cover the young girls like Flintoff in case they have an off day.

Yeah, I'm probably thinking over the worst scenario!

I agree on Sutherland- for her age her batting is fantastic!! Another player I like is Nicole Faltum. I've been extremely impressed with her keeping since she entered the WBBL.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Yeah, I'm probably thinking over the worst scenario!

I agree on Sutherland- for her age her batting is fantastic!! Another player I like is Nicole Faltum. I've been extremely impressed with her keeping since she entered the WBBL.

The one keeper I've been really impressed with is the Brisane's Heat's one, extremely clean behind the stumps.

 

[The Victorian]

The one keeper I've been really impressed with is the Brisane's Heat's one, extremely clean behind the stumps.

Georgia Redmayne

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Georgia Redmayne

That's the one, like her behind the sticks, whether her batting is good enough who knows but as a keeper she is very clean

 

[Aussie_boy]

Yeah, I'm probably thinking over the worst scenario!

I agree on Sutherland- for her age her batting is fantastic!! Another player I like is Nicole Faltum. I've been extremely impressed with her keeping since she entered the WBBL.

I find the keeping standards in the WBBL quite high in general. Can't remember seeing too many average ones.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Before tonight's toss, one more comment about the Stars' loss on Sunday: The Sixers edging themselves to victory in the dying overs took me alllllll the way back to last month in the NZ series. Come to think of it, I even noted the flaw in the field placings at the time which could've easily led to us losing by cheap boundaries...

As far as the conundrum about having a third man late in the innings goes: It's not much of a conundrum when you have two fresh batsmen at the crease who are more likely to nick than middle it.

I was particularly motivated to post about it then because Meg also nearly blew the tri-series final in February with the same mistake.

The reality is it's been quite a while since she's been the captain in a big game where the teams were fairly evenly matched. Thinking around 2016 to 2017, and that did not end well for Australia.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Stars win toss

Bowl first

 

[Teen Wolf]

Osborne and Graham back in for the Stars and Scorchers respectively.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

That’s a massive toss to win, Lanning is like Virat when chasing!

 

[HBF]

That’s a massive toss to win, Lanning is like Virat when chasing!

Will be sitting down to watch this for sure.
Just waiting for the kids to go to sleep.

 

[Torz]

Mooney just BBQ'd Piparo.

 

[RW]

Everything going the Stars way atm, King gets both internationals and now a run-out

 

[Teen Wolf]

As we might've guessed, some Mooney magic is the order of the day for the Scorchers.

Risky to bowl Osborne out so early and potentially leave a lot of work late for the young'uns, let's see if it pays off.

 

[RW]

Fielding is sharp

 

[Torz]

Mooney is genuinely playing tip and run. They better stay awake at the non-strikers.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Piparo would probably win the WBBL grand final sprint, if such a thing existed. But she did stutter out of the blocks and that's all it takes with the way Moons is pushing the envelope.

Graham and Bolton are made for this situation, kiiiinda hard to trust them too much this season though.

 

[RW]

This is some spell by King

 

[HBF]

Huge to get Mooney out.
Stars have been fantastic so far.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

2 out all out basically this was easily the most obvious semi

 

[eddiesmith]

Second semi looks like a massive mismatch with Heat far superior

 

[RW]

Scorchers somehow need to get to 120 just to give themselves a chance, but I don’t think it will be enough with the Stars’ batting.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Bolton crabbing around for 10 overs is hardly great news for the Scorchers lol