IN one of their best performances of the season, Melbourne Stars defeated Perth Scorchers by 33 runs.

After the Stars posted 6/157 from their 20 overs, a strong bowling performance helped them restrict the Scorchers to 9/124.

The Stars got off to a pretty quick start but lost their first wicket early, but then things really got going in the second wicket partnership. That partnership saw Sophia Dunkley and Alice Capsey put on a 99 run partnership to really propel the Stars forward.

The back end of the innings saw a bit of a wobble but the Stars still managed to put a rather competitive total on the board.

Dunkley finished on 73 in an innings that included nine fours and two sixes, while Capsey smashed seven fours on her way to 43. On the flipside the Scorchers only had one multiple wicket taker, which was Piepa Cleary.

It took next to no time for the Stars to get the wickets flowing in the chase when Kim Garth dismissed Sophie Devine on the second ball of the innings.

Annabel Sutherland dismissed Maddy Darke in the second over and things just kept rolling from there. That wouldn’t be Sutherland’s last wicket, also claiming Cleary later in the innings.

However the true star with the ball for the visitors was Sophie Day, who continued her remarkable WBBL09 campaign with another four wicket haul.

It truly was a shared contribution from the Stars bowlers on the wicket taking front, with only one bowler that was used not picking up a wicket.

Meanwhile for the Scorchers, Amy Jones was again a bright spark, top scoring with 42. However she was only of four batters to make a double figure score, and two of those were bowlers.

This win sees the Stars only two wins out of finals, but with only one game left they have left their revival too late. The Scorchers meanwhile now sit in second, one game behind the Strikers.