LOW totals and big wins were the order of the day in the WBBL yesterday, as both the Sydney Thunder and Adelaide Strikers picked up victories.

Star bowling helps Thunder pick up big win

A destructive bowling performance from the Sydney Thunder helped them earn a nine-wicket win over Perth Scorchers.

After the Scorchers only posted 8/116, the Thunder took their time to reach the tally but still got there with just under four overs to spare.

Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine got the Scorchers off to a really strong start, but once Mooney fell the runs dried up quicker than a lake in summer. A late cameo from Amy Jones helped push the score forward a little, but in the grand scheme of things it was not enough as the Scorchers could only post the score they did.

Jones was the top scorer with 37, but she and the two openers were the only ones to make a double figure score.

Meanwhile, Chamari Athapaththu and Lauren Smith were the pick of the Thunder bowlers with two wickets each to their name.

In the chase a mix up between a new opening partnership cost the Thunder an early wicket, but it was a mere bump in the road as Athapaththu and Heather Knight helped guide the side home with plenty of balls to spare. Athapaththu scored most of the runs, blasting 77 not out which included 10 fours and three sixes.

Adelaide repeats history to down Sixers again

In the second replay of last season’s WBBL08 final, the Adelaide Strikers have repeated history again, this time defeating the Sydney Sixers by seven wickets.

After the Strikers’ bowlers restricted the Sixers to 8/122 from their 20 overs, the Strikers reached the target with 15 balls to spare.

Runs were really hard to come by for the Sixers across their innings. Openers Ellyse Perry and Suzie Bates made a solid start to the innings, but once Bates fell things started to fall apart. Perry (37 runs) and Chloe Tryon (39 runs) were the only two batters to make a double figure score as the wickets fell and the Sixers limped to the end of their innings.

On the flipside of the equation, it was Danielle Gibson who was the pick of the bowlers for the Strikers, picking up three wickets. Amanda-Jade Wellington and Tahlia McGrath meanwhile picked up two wickets each.

The Strikers did have a wobbly start to their chase, but they then strung together a couple of big partnerships and eventually got to the target with relative ease. Top scorer for the Strikers was Katie Mack with 45, while McGrath made 38 not out.