SUNDAYSUNDAY DECEMBER DECEMBER 10 10 2017 2017 SPORTSPORT 6377

Lisa Griffith’s catch attempt. Duffin in a dodgy

ELIZA SEWELL

MELBOURNE Renegades star bat Jess Duffin was left bemused after she was given out in controversial circum- The Sixers’ Ash Gardner stances during her side’s loss to goes on the attack against the the Thunder at North Stars, and (inset) celebrating Sydney Oval yesterday. her . Pictures: The Renegades fell 11 runs Getty, AAP short of Sydney Thunder’s 6-200 — at that stage the high- est total in WBBL history — with Duffin’s in the 17th over a defining moment. Duffin was caught by Lisa Records tumble in Griffith at short third man playing a reverse sweep but only after a video review, which appeared to show the a day of smash hits ball hitting the ground. Duffin saw the replay on the big screen and was preparing 242 to resume her innings before ELIZA SEWELL Gardner was so good, El- the video umpire gave her out. lyse Perry’s 91 off 49 was vir- “I don’t really want to get WOMEN SWING WITH BRIGHT BLADES tually a cameo. myself in trouble, but they sent A WBBL record score of 200 ELIZA SEWELL using bright blades. But unlike When Gardner bludg- it upstairs for a reason. I’ll lasted just one innings as when the Thunder’s West Indies eoned the ball onto the roof of leave it at that,” Duffin said. women’s T20 reached strato- MOVE over Andre Russell, import Russell had his black bat a stand, the loud clunk was “I saw the replay on the spheric heights on the open- coloured bats are going to be the banned last summer, these bats followed by raucous applause. screen, that’s why I sort of ing day in Sydney. norm this Big Bash season. have been rigorously tested and It was one of her 10 sixes. stayed out there …” The old Women’s Big Bash Sydney Thunder WBBL are endorsed. At one stage she was 27 off Duffin, with a new name mark of 190 was bettered by unveiled Russell’s original bat marked eight balls. It was in the third after marrying long-term part- the Thunder against Mel- a striking green bat at North the ball. The new ones don’t. over of the Sixers’ innings and ner Chris and a new team after bourne Renegades in the Sydney Oval yesterday and a “We’re really keen to bring it looked like this: a pull shot crossing from afternoon, with the Thunder handful of players across the club branding to life,” Big Bash for four, the same shot, but Stars, showed her trademark winning by 11 runs. opening weekend of the commercial and operations over the deep midwicket rope power as she blasted 12 fours Then the Sixers exploded women’s competition are also manager Joel Morrison said. Alex Blackwell. for six, a driving four down and one six on her way to 81. on North Sydney Oval, oblit- the ground, a dot ball, a nice Sydney Thunder proved erating the fresh mark with a flick down to the fine leg they have the most damaging gigantic total of 242 in their Lanka in 2016. It wasn’t just full time, elite cricketers for Individuals dominated. , and then a cut for line up in the WBBL. 45- win over the Stars. Sydney fireworks, either —- the last 12 months, that’s al- First it was Renegade Jess four. It wasn’t the big-name re- That’s more than the men in Adelaide the Strikers made ways going to lead to develop- Duffin (81 off 57), then Ash “It’s so surreal … it was just cruits of West Indies legend have managed in Big Bash — 183 against the Hurricanes. ment,” Perry said. Gardner produced one of the so awesome to be out there,” and Indian the BBL record of 223 set by Star allrounder Ellyse “The girls are fitter, they’re most entertaining T20 in- Gardner said. “To score a gun who in BBL02. Perry said the runs were due stronger they’ve had more nings seen, racing to the fast- hundred, only the third one in fired. Captain , And the run mountain was to a number of things. time to work on their tech- est century (47 balls) and the WBBL, is just so special. fresh off retaining the Ashes as just 21 shy of the all-time T20 “I think we’re another year nique and get to know their highest score (114 off 57) in “I’d love to do it again … stand-in skipper for an injured record for men and women, into the development of game WBBL history. hopefully I can put on an- , hit seven fours which is the 263 scored by the women’s cricket, we’ve had “It’s probably not surpris- It was only the third cen- other good performance and one six on her way to 55. Australian men against Sri probably most of the players ing in a lot of ways.” tury in the WBBL. throughout the year.”

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