The Melbourne Renegades opening batters Jemimah Rodrigues and Eve Jones both notched up half-centuries to help their team to a massive run total. Image: Melbourne Renegades - Twitter
Half-centuries to each of the Melbourne Renegades’ international players and a superb bowling performance by local Ellie Falconer have guided the ‘Gades to a 15-run victory over the Brisbane Heat.
While the story was all about the international openers in the first innings, the four wickets taken by Ellie Falconer was the story of the second, as she helped her side bowl the Heat out for 192.
Falconer took 4/29 from her four overs, including opener Georgia Redmayne for two and Jess Jonassen for a duck.
After the match, Falconer wasn’t sure if they were her best figures in T20 cricket, but “out here (on Karen Rolton), probably.”
Back in Adelaide, playing WBBL cricket, Falconer said it was nice to be back in front of her family and ‘home’ crowd.
“[It was] nice to play in front of them. They haven’t come and seen any games yet so it’s nice.”
That first wicket of Georgia Redmayne set up the Renegades innings, as they took regular wickets throughout to defend their total.
“I think it gives you a little bit of confidence when you start with a wicket,” Falconer said.
“But yeah, look, they’re a very strong team and you never know what’s going to happen with the next ball.”
The Renegades day got off to an exceptional start when openers Jemimah Rodrigues and Eve Jones were off to a flyer in the Powerplay, finding the boundary regularly and piling on the runs in the early overs.
“They make it look so easy, they just come and smoke it over the rope,” Falconer said about her team’s international batting line-up.
“But nah, they’re really good. They have a lot of experience and heaps of knowledge to share around the group.
“So they’re really good to have ‘round.”
Rodrigues’ knock came to an end on 52, her dominant start with the bat set up the Renegades nicely though, and Eve Jones continued with the run-making.
Jones also notched up her half-century off 36 balls, and it took a catch on the boundary by Nicola Hancock to remove the English batter for 62 runs.
There was a third half-century for the Renegades, Harmanpreet Kaur went over the rope with ease, hitting 59 from just 31 deliveries.
With 10 boundaries, including six clearing the rope, it was enough for the star batter to take top spot on the Golden Bat leader board and earn her a Golden cap for the field.
Her efforts, and those of her teammates, even caught the eye of former Australian Women’s Cricket team captain, Karen Rolton, who was tweeting along about the game being played at her oval.
The Renegades finished 4/207 after their 20 overs.
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Their brilliant morning at Karen Rolton continued when substitute fielder Alexandra Price took the opening catch to remove Redmayne off Falconer’s bowling.
Rhiann O’Donnell continued the wicket-taking with her first ball in the Renegades’ red, removing key player Grace Harris.
The wickets continued to tumble and the Renegades were on top of the contest. While the Heat ended up just 15 runs short, the Renegades never looked like losing control of this one.
Karen Rolton Oval, known to be a “bit of a road sometimes” had a healthy crowd in for the first game in the double header and Falconer was just glad they could put on a good show.
“When you score 200 not many people want to bowl at here, but yeah it’s a good ground to bat on and a good ground to come and watch.
“So happy to put on some good cricket.”
The Renegades will take on the Melbourne Stars tomorrow at Adelaide Oval, a great opportunity for the team to experience another ground and a big ground at that.
“I think everyone’s keen to get out to Adelaide Oval and play out there.
“I don’t think many of the girls have been out there before, so it’ll be nice to get a gig out there and enjoy the atmosphere.”
The Melbourne Renegades will face the Melbourne Stars at Adelaide Oval on Sunday afternoon, with play to start at 1:40 pm AEDT.
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