- Adelaide Strikers open WBBL account for 2026 with Melbourne Stars’ 70-ball 50 win. Laura Wolvaardt and Amanda-Jade Wellington’s 3-wicket haul led the Adelaide Strikers to a 21-run victory over the Melbourne Stars at Karen Rolton Oval.
- Adelaide Strikers open their 2026 WBBL account with a win against Melbourne Stars (Source:
- Batting first, the Strikers hit 185 for 2 in their 20 overs and then restricted the Stars to 164 for 7 to secure a comfortable first-round win.
Adelaide Strikers open WBBL account for 2026 with Melbourne Stars’ 70-ball 50 win. Laura Wolvaardt and Amanda-Jade Wellington’s 3-wicket haul led the Adelaide Strikers to a 21-run victory over the Melbourne Stars at Karen Rolton Oval.
Adelaide Strikers open their 2026 WBBL account with a win against Melbourne Stars (Source: Batting first, the Strikers hit 185 for 2 in their 20 overs and then restricted the Stars to 164 for 7 to secure a comfortable first-round win. Laura Wolvaardt shone with the bat, making 70 off 50 shots and hitting nine boundaries before being sent off.
His innings laid the foundation for an overall victory that was ultimately beyond Melbourne’s reach. Wolvaardt and his opening partner managed 54 runs in the first 7 overs, giving the Strikers a good start. Maia Bouchier contributed 30 before Annabel Sutherland took 21 balls from her during her time at the crease.
Tahlia McGrath and Madeline Penna then went into the heats with vigor. McGrath remained unbeaten with 43 off 36 balls, including three sixes, while Penna was equally destructive at the death, being out on 36 not out from just 13 balls with four boundaries. Together, the two helped the Strikers score 42 runs in the last two overs to take the total well over 180.
Notably, Adelaide was without two key bowlers. Darcie Brown was unavailable due to a back injury and Megan Schutt was suspended for a medication prescrion violation, making the bowling performance all the more impressive. How did Amanda-Jade Wellington and the Strikers bowlers dismiss the stars?
Chasing 186, the Melbourne Stars got off to a good start in their opening games. Meg Lanning scored 32 off 24 balls and Rhys McKenna contributed 40 off 31 balls, with the pair contributing 77 runs in 8 overs for the opening wicket. This partnership gave the Stars a real chance to rethink the goal.
However, once the openers were gone, the Strikers bowlers took control. Amanda-Jade Wellington was the pick of the attack, taking three wickets and conceding 28 runs. Amy Jones was one of his victims and played for 2.
Naomi Stalenberg offered some resistance lower down, scoring 32 from 25 deliveries, but it wasn’t enough to change the result. Eleanor Larosa contributed 2 for 23, and Sophie Ecclestone scored 2 for 25. Kim Garth also contributed 1-for-27.
The combined bowling performance kept the Stars at 164 for 7, leaving Adelaide victorious by 21 runs. What does this result mean for both teams after the first round? The win gives the Adelaide Strikers a successful start to their WBBL season, with the team demonstrating batting prowess throughout the season.
From Wolvaardt’s 70 at the top to Penna’s explosive 36 at the end, seven different contributors made a significant impact across the two rounds. The Melbourne Stars, despite Lanning and McKenna’s opening stand of 77 runs, were unable to maintain the required run rate after their top order was breached. The Stars will have to deal with their weakness in midfield as the tournament progresses.
Both teams will return to action in the upcoming rounds of the 2026 WBBL season. For the Strikers, the win is particularly notable given the absence of Brown and Schutt, highlighting the team’s collective strength in difficult circumstances at Karen Rolton Oval.
