Melbourne Stars qualify for maiden WBBL final with clinical win over Perth Scorchers

After restricting Sophie Devine’s side to just 125 for 8 from their 20 overs, Meg Lanning’s team knocked off the total with 22 balls remaining, for the loss of just three wickets

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North Sydney Oval: Perth Scorchers 125-8 v Melbourne Stars 127-3 - Melbourne Stars win by seven wickets

Scorecard

Melbourne Stars are through to a maiden Women’s Big Bash final after comprehensively beating Perth Scorchers in the first semi-final.

After restricting Sophie Devine’s side to just 125 for 8 from their 20 overs, Meg Lanning’s team knocked off the total with 22 balls remaining, for the loss of just three wickets.

Nat Sciver, selected in the team of the tournament after the group stage, ended unbeaten on 47, while teenage allrounder Annabel Sutherland struck 30 – including one huge straight six – in an unbroken partnership worth 67 runs.

Scorchers briefly felt in the game during Stars’ chase, especially after Heather Graham removed Meg Lanning with a fine delivery, but Sciver’s experience ensured that no collapse ensued.

Ultimately, they were made to pay for a batting innings that never got going. Heavily reliant on Devine and Beth Mooney, both of whom moved to Perth ahead of this campaign following the departure of Lanning to Melbourne, there was little substance once the pair had both been dismissed by Alana King.

England batsman Amy Jones, whose tournament has been disrupted by injury, fell cheaply and it was only Nicole Bolton’s 25-ball 32 that gave Scorchers, who finished fourth in the group stage and only reached the latter stages courtesy of their net run rate, a total to defend.

And although Sarah Glenn removed Elyse Villani in the second over, with Mignon du Preez falling shortly afterwards, the result was rarely in doubt for the runaway winners of the round-robin phase.

They will face either Sydney Thunder or reigning champions Brisbane Heat in the final.

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