This sort of showing was nowhere near acceptable for the Melbourne Renegades.
There is plenty of time for them to recover from an ugly defeat to Sydney Thunder at Junction Oval on Sunday, but this was a highly inauspicious start to a Womens Big Bash League season in which expectations have risen for Melbourne's red side.
Early scalp: Renegades' opener Sophie Molineux was dismissed by Thunder's player of the match Rene Farrell in the first over.Credit:AAP
A day after Melbourne Stars opener Lizelle Lee bludgeoned an unbeaten century to carry her side to victory against the Sydney Sixers, the Renegades couldnt even make it to triple figures at the same venue.
Their total of 8-98 was never likely to be enough, and despite 4-29 from young Australian tearaway Tayla Vlaeminck – remarkably making her Renegades debut despite having already played for her country – the Thunder coasted to victory with six wickets and 19 balls to spare.
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Vlaeminck, 20, issued a reminder of her talent by removing Sydney's Rachael Haynes (27) and Alex Blackwell (15), both of whom have captained Australia.
Sent in by the Thunder in overcast conditions, the Renegades lost opener and Australian international Sophie Molineux for one in the first over after she spooned a catch to mid-off. From there the hosts never really recovered.
Spun out: Georgia Wareham contributed handy runs with the bat for the Renegades, but failed to make an impact with the ball.Credit:AAP
Batting has long been a problem for the Renegades, and with big-hitting English import Danni Wyatt held back by her home board following the World Twenty20, the top order flopped.
Opener Erica Kershaw hung around for 24 from 27 balls, while Georgia Wareham made a handy 17 not out at No. 9, but no one else made more than 11.
Veteran Rene Farrell took 3-17 from four overs for the Thunder.
Renegades captain Amy Satterthwaite said her side didn't handle the conditions well when batting in what was the last of four games on the same pitch across the WBBL opening weekend.
"We didn't adapt to the way the pitch had changed throughout the day," Satterthwaite said.
Sent packing: Melbourne bowler Tayla Vlaeminck (right) celebrates with team mate Lea Tahuhu after taking the wicket of Sydney's Rachel Priest.Credit:AAP
"It was getting a bit slower, a little bit more variable bounce, I think the change-up is obviously quite effective on it and [the Thunder] read that quite well and used them effectively. I think we needed to probably knock it around a bit better, score off a few more balls and punish the bad ones. Instead we had quite a few dot balls and tried to I guess catch up with boundaries, and it ended up in wickets."
The Renegades are set to regain Wyatt for their pair of matches against the Adelaide Strikers at Junction Oval and Ballarat next weekend.
Thunder reigns: Nicola Carey (left) and Stafanie Taylor celebrate after scoring the winning runs against the Renegades.Credit:AAP
Farrell was pleased with the way her side had started the season.
"You always want to get some momentum throughout this competition and to start off like that [on] Renegades home soil was really important," Farrell said.
In the earlier game on Sunday, the Strikers comfortably accounted for Brisbane Heat on the back of a commanding knock from opener Sophie Devine.
The New Zealand international thrashed 89 from 55 balls before falling in the 18th over, and with useful contributions from Bridget Patterson (31 from 27 balls) and Tegan McPharlin (30 from 22), the Strikers posted 7-172 from 20 overs. Jemma Barsby (2-23 from four overs) was the pick of the Brisbane bowlers.
Striking form: Adelaide's Sophie Devine in action against Brisbane Heat at the Junction Oval.Credit:AAP
The Heat lost two early wickets in their chase, and despite an unbeaten 127-run stand from Beth Mooney and Kirby Short, Brisbane were never really in the hunt, losing by 36 runs.
The competition resumes on Friday night when the Sixers face the Perth Scorchers at North Sydney Oval in the first of seven WBBL matches next weekend.
Daniel is an Age sports reporter.
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