A stunning piece of fielding from Sarah Coyte helped the Melbourne Renegades smash the Adelaide Strikers by 81 runs on Monday afternoon.
Just days after the Strikers bowled out the Stars for the lowest total in the competition’s history, the Renegades avenged their Melbourne mates to pick up their first win of the year and consign the defending WBBL champions to their first loss of the season.
The home side posted a competitive 3-167 but a moment of magic in the field was crucial as the Strikers lost all momentum in the run chase.
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‘Fielded off her bowling!’: Coyte stuns | 00:32
Coyte was furious with herself when she put down a simple chance in the deep when Strikers skipper Tahlia McGrath was on four, but the veteran all-rounder quickly made amends with a stunning bit of fielding off her own bowling.
Three overs after the drop, Coyte was bowling when she had to dive full length to her right to stop the ball.
She gathered it and threw it back to the striker’s end to catch Bridget Patterson well short of her ground with a direct hit to make it 3-42.
Coyte then chipped in with the wicket of Madeline Penna to give the Renegades a boost before their showdown against the Thunder on Thursday.
SLOW AND STEADY
The Renegades went six overs without hitting a boundary but a late flurry of runs from Courtney Webb (49 not out off 34) and Harmanpreet Kaur (43 not out off 33) saved the innings when it looked like they may have finished 30 runs short.
The top three all got starts but the reliable duo in the middle order steadied the ship and then did plenty of damage at the death. The pair added 35 runs in the final two overs.
There were no sixes in the unbeaten partnership of 93 but they ran well between the wickets at Junction Oval and peppered the boundary when they got anything loose.
STRIKE THREE
The defending premiers were untouchable in their season opener but they were given a reality check by the Renegades, who handled their all-star bowling attack and then made Adelaide’s impressive batting line-up look human.
The usually unplayable Megan Schutt conceded 42 from her four overs, while McGrath (31) was the only one who looked threatening with the bat as four Renegades bowlers picked up two wickets apiece.
McGrath’s departure in the power surge sparked a collapse in which the visitors lost 7-21.
The Strikers will look to bounce back on Tuesday against a Stars side they beat by a whopping 148 runs on the weekend.