Mignon du Preez shines as Hobart Hurricanes edge Melbourne Stars

The South Africa international scored 62 runs off 45 balls as her side chased down 144 to win with four balls to spare

Launceston: Melbourne Stars 144-4, Hobart Hurricanes 147-4 – Hobart Hurricanes won by six wickets

Scorecard

Mignon du Preez scored a half-century as Hobart Hurricanes defeated Melbourne Stars by six wickets in Launceston to pick up their second win of the season.

Hobart’s chase started poorly, with openers Ruth Johnston and Rachel Priest departing inside seven overs. However, a 74-run third-wicket stand between Nicola Carey and du Preez got the Hurricanes back on track, the South Africa international dominating the run-scoring with 49 runs off just 24 balls.

The partnership ended in the 15th over when Annabel Sutherland ran out Carey for 24 and after adding a further 17 runs with Richa Ghosh, du Preez departed for an impressive 45-ball 62 (caught Erin Osborne, bowled Sutherland) to leave the Hurricanes requiring 21 runs from 19 balls.

^{Kim Garth impressed for the Stars, scoring 44 not out and taking 1 for 25}

And Ghosh had little difficulty in steering her side over the line, chasing down the victory with four balls to spare and finishing unbeaten on 24 off 16 deliveries.

Earlier in the day, Melbourne Stars had limped to 58 for 3 at the 10-over mark before an 83-run fourth-wicket stand (60 balls) between overseas duo Maia Bouchier and Kim Garth helped them post a highly competitive total.

Bouchier scored 42 runs off 33 balls before being removed by Molly Strano (caught Tayla Vlaeminck) off the penultimate delivery of the innings. Garth finished unbeaten on 44 off 29 balls.

Vlaeminck was the pick of the bowlers for either side, taking 3 for 27, while Garth also put in a shift with the ball, removing Johnston in the first over of Hobart’s chase and posting figures of 1 for 25.

WBBL Hub: News, stats, live scores