Today at the WBBL: Meg Lanning faces former teammates and a repeat of last year's final

The top four face the bottom four, so Saturday has become an important round of fixtures, especially if the matches go with the recent form guides

Who’s playing?

Game one: Brisbane Heat v Adelaide Strikers

Game two: Melbourne Renegades v Sydney Thunder

Game three: Sydney Sixers v Hobart Hurricanes

Game four: Melbourne Stars v Perth Scorchers

The top four face the bottom four in the weekend’s first round of fixtures. Melbourne Renegades, the league’s only side without a win, take on table-topping Sydney Thunder, who have scarcely looked like losing and possess the two highest wicket-takers as well as the leading run-scorer.

Cross-city rivals Sydney Sixers, meanwhile, face Hobart Hurricanes, whose only win came against Amy Satterthwaite’s Renegades. And suddenly, Saturday becomes an important round, should the those matches go with the recent form guides.

Renegades are already six points behind the two Sydney teams, and can hardly afford to drop further off the pace.

The same can be said for Adelaide Strikers, the only team to have lost just a single game to the weather. However, they have been unable to make the most of that good fortune, even if they have played plenty of good cricket in defeat. Megan Schutt’s outfit have won just once. They face a Brisbane Heat side whose solitary victory came on the opening day.

It makes for an intriguing set of match-ups; with the Meg Lanning Derby topping off the round. The Australia captain left Perth Scorchers for Melbourne Stars during the off-season, and her former side has found the going difficult in her absence, even if they filled her void admirably with WBBL run-machines Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney.

^{Meg Lanning faces her former teammates}

Who to look out for?

England captain Heather Knight has been the competition’s undisputed MVP through its early stages: she has the most runs and the second-most wickets, including a tournament-best 83 against Adelaide.

Her 146 runs have come in fewer balls than Laura Wolvaardt, Beth Mooney and Lanning, the three players immediately behind her in the chasing pack, at a strike rate of 150.51 – considerably higher than the equivalent across her WT20I career.

However, speaking to The Cricketer ahead of Thunder’s clash with Renegades, she was in cautionary mood. “They haven’t had the best of starts,” she said, “but they have some quality players in their line-up and some real destructive players as well.

“We’re going to have to play well again – a good performance by one player can win you a game of T20 cricket, so it’ll be about trying to nullify their threats and trying to play our best game and carry the momentum.”

Thunder’s cause will be aided by left-arm spinner Samantha Bates, the competition’s leading wicket-taker. Her tournament figures currently stand, remarkably, at 7 for 29 in nine overs, including a maiden, an average of 4.14 and an economy rate of 3.22. Knight, with six wickets in just six overs, is not far behind.

But while they have been collecting wickets as a spin duo, a young band of Australian fast bowlers have been impressing all comers.

Brisbane Heat seamer Nicola Hancock is one of three players with five wickets, while serial WBBL performer Belinda Vakarewa and teenage tearaway Darcie Brown both have four apiece.

Yet, there was disappointing news to emerge from Renegades’ struggling campaign, with confirmation that fast bowler Maitlan Brown will miss the remainder of the campaign, having suffered damage to her hamstring tendon.

^{Heather Knight has been in excellent form with bat and ball}

Predictions

Adelaide Strikers to clinch retribution against Brisbane Heat in a repeat of last year’s final.

Sydney Thunder to win convincingly against Melbourne Renegades, remaining top of the pile in the process.

Sydney Sixers to win well against Hobart Hurricanes, with their jampacked batting order beginning to fire.

Melbourne Stars to remain unbeaten, seeing off Lanning’s old team.

Where can I watch?

In Australia, Kayo Sports are showing all 59 matches through their streaming service. Remaining games are accessible either through Channel 7, Fox Cricket or cricket.com.au.

UK broadcasters BT Sport 3 are showing Brisbane Heat v Adelaide Strikers from 1am, followed by Sydney Sixers v Hobart Hurricanes at 4.30am and Melbourne Stars v Perth Scorchers at 8am.

What is the weather saying?

Cloudy with only a small chance of rain in the morning. Fingers crossed for a full day’s play.