Melbourne Renegades pulled off a dramatic four-wicket victory over Hobart Hurricanes in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) on Wednesday, with a rare wicketkeeping infringement on the final delivery denying the hosts a chance to force a Super Over. Just when the Hurricanes appeared to have rescued a thrilling contest, Lizelle Lee‘s positioning behind the stumps turned the game on its head, handing the Renegades a victory through a no-ball decision at Bellerive Oval.Chasing 155, the Renegades needed one run from the final delivery with scores level at 154. Deandra Dottin failed to connect with Nicola Carey‘s delivery, and Lee collected the ball behind the stumps. Both teams appeared to be preparing for a Super Over, but the third umpire intervened after television replays showed that Lee had collected the ball in front of the stumps.Under Law 27.3, a wicketkeeper must remain wholly behind the striker’s wicket until the ball touches the batter or their bat, passes the wicket, or the batter attempts a run. Any breach of this provision results in a no-ball being called. The decision awarded the Renegades the additional run they needed to seal a four-wicket win without a Super Over.
Over-rate penalty adds to Hurricanes’ late heartbreak
The dramatic finish followed another crucial twist in the final over. The Hurricanes were penalised for failing to complete their 20 overs within the stipulated time and were allowed only two fielders outside the 30-yard circle for the final three deliveries.After a dot ball, Dottin edged the penultimate delivery towards the deep third boundary. With the boundary rider unavailable because of the fielding restriction, the ball raced away for four, bringing the scores level at 154.Dottin then missed the final delivery, and Lee’s infringement completed a remarkable turnaround for the visitors. The Hurricanes were left stunned as the Renegades celebrated their first victory of the WBBL|12 campaign.
Nicola Carey, Chinelle Henry power Hurricanes to 154
Earlier, Hobart Hurricanes posted 154/7 in their 20 overs, with captain Nicola Carey leading the charge in her 150th WBBL appearance. Carey struck 62 off 43 deliveries, providing stability to an innings that saw the Hurricanes lose wickets at regular intervals.West Indian all-rounder Chinelle Henry added a quickfire 36 off just 18 balls to give the hosts a late boost. However, Henry later hobbled off after bowling just one over, which cost 14 runs, with a suspected hip injury.Renegades captain Sophie Molineux led the bowling attack with figures of 4/22, taking her career WBBL tally to 101 wickets. She became only the second player in the franchise’s history to reach the 100-wicket milestone, after Molly Strano.
Hayley Matthews leads Renegades before late collapse
In reply, Hayley Matthews kept the Renegades on course with an impressive 59 off 44 deliveries, while Courtney Webb contributed 29 off 25 balls. The pair helped the visitors build a strong platform before the Hurricanes fought back.The Renegades suffered a dramatic collapse, losing five wickets for 37 runs after reaching 101, bringing the contest back into balance. Matthews was dismissed by Heather Graham, while Molly Strano produced a superb catch-and-bowl effort to remove Molineux.With 33 runs required from the final four overs, the Renegades used the Power Surge to keep the chase alive. Despite the late setbacks, they eventually crossed the line in one of the most unusual finishes of the tournament.The victory gave the Renegades their first win of the WBBL season 12, while the Hurricanes remained without a win after three matches and at the bottom of the standings.
