Sydney Thunder saw the chance to host a grand final slip away with a poor performance in Melbourne

AAP23-Nov-2024Melbourne Renegades crushed the Sydney Thunder by nine wickets to take top spot on the WBBL ladder.Thunder were bowled out for 133 in 19.1 overs with Renegades spinner Sophie Molineux snaring 4 for 23 at Melbourne’s Junction Oval.Renegades then raced to the target from 14.2 overs with opener Hayley Matthews blasting an unbeaten 60 from 37 balls and Molineux capping a stunning all-round performance with an unbeaten 42 from 29 deliveries with the pair adding an unbroken 95.Renegades moved to 14 points, taking top spot from the Thunder (13 points). Brisbane Heat (12 points) will need a big win over Sydney Sixers on Sunday in the last match of the regular season to jump ahead of Renegades and host the grand final.Perth Scorchers (nine points) hold fourth spot ahead of their last game on Saturday night against the fifth-placed Hobart Hurricanes which will likely decide fourth place entering the finals – unless the Sixers (sixth, eight points) can upset Heat.Thunder struggled to gain traction with the top-order batters failing to capitalise. Phoebe Litchfield top-scored with 30, hitting six fours from her 17 deliveries while No. 7 Sammy-Jo Johnson made 21 from 19 balls.Openers Georgia Voll, Chamari Athapaththu and Georgia Adams all made 11, as Thunder slipped from 95 for 3 in 12th over and lost their last seven wickets for 38 runs.Molineux was superb with her four-wicket haul accompanied by a dozen dot balls in her four overs.