Another batting failure has cost Perth Scorchers their shot at finals as Hobart Hurricanes completed the double to keep their title aspirations alive.
Perth’s batting woes reared their ugly head again at the WACA on Saturday with a dire collapse of 5-12 in the Scorchers’ must-win clash against the Hurricanes leaving the home side well short of a competitive total, a potential score of 170 quickly peetering into 138 all out.
Hobart looked to be cruising early in the chase as Lizelle Lee hit a brisk 44 from 22 with casual ease, but the Scorchers’ never-say-die bowlers turned the match into a tense contest before falling to a heart-breaking three-wicket defeat in front of a WACA WBBL-record crowd of 3701.
“We showed some fighting spirit there, but ultimately, we had too many people that had an off night, and it’s probably reflective of the season that we’ve had,” coach Rebecca Grundy said post-game.
“We’ve never really, apart from one game, been able to put all three facets of the game together, so it’s tough, but we probably didn’t deserve to be in the finals.
“That’s hard to take, but it’s the reality.”
The first innings collapse continues a two-season-long story of batting instability that continues to leave the Scorchers hunting their best batting line-up.
Skipper Sophie Devine has spent the season shuffling between opening and batting at No.4, while Chloe Piparo has found herself at the top of the order and at the bottom of the middle order.
Piparo was even dropped at one stage.
Indian important Dayalan Hemalatha was given eight games to settle in at three, but apart from one score of 41 against the Thunder in Sydney, failed to make more than 13 runs in an innings.
It meant she was dropped for the do-or-die clash with Hobart.
Amy Jones couldn’t find her form before leaving for South Africa to join the English national squad, while her replacement, Brooke Halliday, was impressive but only had three games.
The Scorchers were the last team to reach a total of 150 or more, and it took them until mid-season.
Grundy admitted while the instability in the order wasn’t ideal, she said it was hard to find consistency without form.
“It’s hard to keep consistency when people aren’t performing,” she said.
“You go into a tournament thinking what your best team is, and there’s a really fine balance between giving opportunity and backing people in and how long’s too long until (you drop someone), particularly in a 10-game tournament.
“That’s something to reflect on, but you get consistency from people performing, and when they don’t, you make a change.
“We’ve had a couple of partnerships that set us up really nicely to go and bat teams out of the game and then constant fall of wickets at the back end (hurt).
“There’s a constant reliance on Beth Mooney and you don’t win competitions doing that, you need other people to step up.”
Perth came into their final regular season match one point clear in fourth on the table needing a triumph to seal their place in finals.
And the home side appeared on track for at least 170 after deciding to bat first.
Superstar opener Mooney rode her luck, but after Maddy Dark was run out, she combined with Kiwi international Brooke Halliday for a 39-run partnership.
Brooke’s 21 from 16 set the platform for Devine, who took apart a wayward over from Heather Graham, who, after being pinged in the shoulder by a return ball, conceded 20 runs from the 13th over as the Scorchers entered triple figures.
But it was delight in the next over as Devine cut one straight to point on 28.
The skipper’s demise triggered a staggering collapse of 5-12 as Chloe Piparo failed atempting to take on deep mid-off, and Mooney finally pushed her luck too far, caught on 50.
Super over hero Mikayla Hinkley was sent packing by a suicidal run out, and Carly Leeson was bowled for a duck two balls later.
Nine runs from the final over pushed the Scorchers’ score to 138.
Perth’s bowlers produced a remarkable fightback led by teen sensation Chloe Ainsworth and Devine, ripping the Hurricanes middle order apart in a 4-7 burst.
Devine did her best to impose her more than 300 games of international experience on the contest, taking 4-26, including knocking Tabatha Saville’s off stump out of the turf.
But it wasn’t enough, as Perth’s season came to an early end by three wickets.
Content Source: www.perthnow.com.au