After Stars elected to bat, Thunder restricted them to a paltry 86, which they chased down pretty comfortably in the end, thereby clinching the title
Sydney Thunder clinched the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) 2020-21 season title after beating the Melbourne Stars very comprehensively in the final.
It seemed like some other Stars team turned up on the day of the final and it was not what we saw in the league stage, who were bulldozing sides left, right and centre and was probably the best team on show throughout the league.
On Saturday, it looked like they just weren't able to play freely. As even though scorecard shows that they lost 9 wickets, and since a team can't lose more, it could have been more as Thunder themselves dropped around five catches.
Thunder pace duo Shabnim Ismail and Sammy-Jo Johnson started the proceedings and both of them were into the Stars batting line-up pretty early. Ismail dismissed Ellyse Villani in the 3rd over of the innings and could have two as Tammy Beaumont standing at backward point, dropped Stars skipper Meg Lanning.
Although, that drop didn't cost the Thunder much. Ismail was given her final over in the seventh over of the innings, as she exploited little help she was getting from the surface and got the ball to move away from Lanning just a little to induce an outside edge into the hands of the keeper.
None of the other Stars batter could contribute much and Katherine Brunt's few runs helped Stars get to 86/9. After which, it was just matter of in how much time Thunder would get to the target.
And, the experienced pair of Haynes and Heather Knight won the game for Thunder with 38 balls to spare.
Stars chipped at a few of Thunder's wickets but 86 was never going to be enough as they looked a shadow of themselves in the final.
Knight stayed unbeaten on 26, while Haynes was playing on 21. Coming form the Hobart Hurricanes to Thunders, Knight has had a successful season with the bat too as she played a few handful knocks for the girls in green.
Belief and Energy of the Young group helped us win: Knight and Rachel Haynes
This is their 2nd title, after they won the inaugural 2015-16 edition under Alex Blackwell. Haynes, who was part of that side as well, has won this time as the leader of Thunder.
Speaking after the game on the win and beating a side like that of Stars, Haynes said, "I can't believe it, a huge effort from the team. Up against world-class players and a world class team, there was so much belief and there was so much positivity in our team. So happy.
"Every time they had the ball in their hand or an opportunity with the bat, they wanted to win. They weren't worried about losing. It made my job so much more easy. Season one was pretty special but tonight is definitely right up there," she added.
England's national captain Knight was excited with the win too. Speaking in the post-match interviews, Knight said, "Credit to the bowlers, really chuffed about it. I'm really proud of all the senior players and the young players.
We've been around the dressing room and got to know each other really well, played a lot of pranks. The younger players have done extremely well this season and I'm really proud of them."
Players like Phoebe Litchfield, who are still in school, brought the young energy into this year's Thunder outfit and certainly made a name for themselves after having performed well in her first season itself.
Even though, WBBL action's over, the cricketing action Down Under continues as the Men's Big Bash League is starting in two-weeks time and with the new rules and three overseas players being allowed, the 9the season of the BBL is looked forward to with a baited breath.
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